MANITOWOC, Wis. – The Luling School was listed in the National Register of Historic Places on September 26, 2025, at the statewide level of significance. The property was constructed in 1892 in Manitowoc, Manitowoc County.
The Luling School, later renamed McKinley School, is distinctive in the city of Manitowoc as an early-graded elementary school from the late 19th century. In 1892, the school was originally constructed as a small ward school. It was expanded twice within 15 years as the local population increased, statewide compulsory attendance laws were enacted, and the movement toward graded schools became widely accepted.
Between 1913 and 1920, the first vocational school in the city operated out of the Luling School after the state legislature enacted a law mandating opportunities for vocational learning. In 1938, the auditorium-gymnasium addition was constructed with the assistance of the Public Works Administration using glue-laminated wood beams. Between World War I and World War II, and during the New Deal Era, sports and physical activity was integrated into curricula and educational systems. The new physical education movement resulted in a wave of gymnasium construction through various federal work relief programs across the nation. The post-World War II era exhibited a population increase and shift from city centers to suburbs, resulting in the consolidation of schools. Declining birth rates led to decreased school enrollment in the mid-1970s. As a result, the Luling School was closed in 1977.
The Luling School displays characteristics of classically derived styles popular at the turn of the 20th century, specifically the Italian Renaissance Revival style, while the gymnasium features the Neoclassical style. It stands today as a local example of the history of education in Manitowoc from the late-19th century.
Additional information for the Luling School is available at:
To learn more about the State and National Register programs in Wisconsin, visit: https://wisconsinhistory.org/hp/register/
