ROCK ISLAND, Ill. — Central Jr High School's class of 1973 is creating one last memory.
On Saturday, alumni gathered to bid farewell to the building they once called their school. The group took photos and shared old memories with each other.
“We have a lot of good memories, but sadly the place is unkept, compared to what it was back in the day," Denise Wheatley said.
Wheatley added that the group has held reunions throughout the years, keeping in touch with each other.
Charles Mathews said he traveled back and forth for 45 years to visit his classmates.
"I finally moved back up here and now that I'm living here, it's just like, I never left," Mathews said. "These people are my friends for life.”
“These friendships have stayed together and we're all still very close," Wheatley said. "We all reach out for each other when the need's there.”
Located at 2100 6th Ave., Central Jr High School opened in 1954 and closed in the 1980s. The building would later be repurposed to serve pre-K through sixth grade as Lincoln Elementary.
While the building's doors are closed and it may not be standing for much longer, the group said they love the building and have had many great memories inside.
"We are all getting older and we try to stay young and while staying in touch with each other. That's all we can do," an emotional Denise added.
The school board currently has no timeline for when demolition will begin.
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