Alexander Hamilton Elementary School is tucked away in the neighborhoods north of Forest Park, only two blocks south of Delmar. It’s surrounded by a park and quiet residential streets, and to the northeast a major Metro depot.
It was designed by Rockwell Milligan, of the famous firm of Ittner Milligan, and it looks like many of their elementary school designs: two identical front portals flanked by perpendicular classroom wings, creating two T-shaped hallways.
However, this school, like many of Milligan’s designs, is an interesting fusion of the Tudor Revival and also Hanseatic Northern European Mannerist elements, which I enjoy greatly.
The portals’ sculpting in terracotta, which has seen some battering by the elements, shows the influence of Italy while the decorative brick work is Northern European in origin.
Decorative elements are similar to other schools designed by the firm; it seems that the high schools tended to be more conservative in design, while the elementary schools were more open to experimentation.
Many schools feature the bay projecting from the front facade.
Then of course there are the two wings on either side, with some nice decorative wood work, which shows some sign of light deterioration.
The compound chimneys are also a sign of the Tudor Revival.
Happy anniversary and thanks for doing it. I check in every day to visit my hometown. I’ve discovered new neighborhoods I want to visit. Love the brick. Very little of that here in California.
My Daddy’s Alma mater. He always sang a song about it when we would drive by on Delmar.
Went to school there in the early 1950 we live across the street on Washington
We work here and celebrated the building turning 100! To those that use to live in the neighborhood or went to school here nothing has changed. We love Hamilton!
I went to Hamilton K – 8 and received a wonderful education and foundation for high school, college, graduate school, and law school. I live d on DeGiverville,
and walked to school. Several of my Hamilton friends are still friends even though life has taken us to different parts of the U.S.
Hello from Atlanta, GA. I attended Hamilton in 1978, K-5. We lived in the 3 family flat across the street. It’s now a vacant lot with a garden. I like to drive through the neighborhood when I come home for the holidays. Hamilton still the same . Such great memories.
My brother sister and I attended Hamilton. I was there pre K thru 8th grade. It was a great school. We lived on McPherson