Burdick Street School/McKinley Elementary

1886-1980

Burdick Street School

In 1885, the school board set aside $5000 for the construction of a new school to serve students located in the southern portion of the city. Students who had been residing south of Reed Street and west of Portage Street had been served by the Alcott School and its staff since 1867. The Alcott School was located on the east side of Burdick Street, just south of Alcott Street. The land had been donated by businessman W.W. Alcott, and the building cost $600.00 to build. It was sold in February of 1886 to Martin Vandeburg for $400.00.

Situated at 1700 Burdick Street (southwest corner at Emerson), the Burdick Street School was a stately, late nineteenth century school that taught kindergarten through 8th grade. The Romanesque Revival building had a square facade adorned with an arched entranceway, a gabled roof with dormer windows, stone details, bell tower, and a second story balcony. Kalamazoo’s population continued to grow during it’s first fifty years, resulting in a school-building boom in the expanding neighborhoods. In the spring of April, 1886, the Kalamazoo Gazette reported on Miss Anna Hoag and her students, hauling books from the Alcott School northward to their new classrooms.

“With lots of noise and the usual rough school-boy abandon of manner a unique line of Young Americans came truding two and two down north Burdick st. yesterday afternoon. They were apparently very happy, although each invididual boy had his arms full of school books. At the head of the column was a bright little fellow carrying a counting frame such as is used in school rooms. A little colored boy brought up the rear. Following in close order was a small company of girls, who with feminine quietness made less noise but seemed fully as happy. Still another bevy of the girls were futher behind. The teacher of the children who were en route from the Alcott school brought up the rear. The occasion of the all this commotion in the extreme southern part of the city was the transfer of Miss Anna Hoag and her scholars to a room in the new Burdick st. school.”

Kalamazoo Gazette, 30 April 1886

Completed in 1886, the school’s first addition was in 1896, followed by a substantial modification in 1924, which saw the new Billingham and Cobb-designed building wrap around the older structure. The architects designed for the addition of more classrooms, an auditorium and a gymnasium. The rebuilt school was completed by builder A.J. DeKoning.

1924-1980

The Burdick Street School was renamed McKinley Elementary, after the slain President in 1924. In 1940, the elementary school was rebuilt by Henry Vander Horst and designed by M.C.J. Billingham. It stood for another 48 years, closing as a school in 1980 due to reduced student enrollment. Later, it was demolished after discussions between community stakeholders in the early 1980’s failed to lead to a successful plan to repurpose the old school. The Salvation Army building, which stands today at the site, was built in 1991.

“Dear McKinley, dear McKinley,

Soccer, baseball never fail

Wear the color at the track meet

Three cheers for them all” 

–McKinley School chant

Article written by Ryan Gage, Kalamazoo Public Library staff, March 2022. Last updated 12 May 2026.