The original school was built in 1867 and was primarily used for educational and cafeteria space. It was hidden from view by the 1916 addition, as seen in the adjacent photograph. A second addition was built in 1938 and consisted of an auditorium, featuring a full-size gymnasium and theater seating. The final addition was completed in 1953 ; giving a total area of 100,714 sq/ft. Myron T. Herrick, 42nd Governor of Ohio and twice United States Ambassador to France, attended high school at the Wellington Union School. On December 14, 2015, the old McCormick building was demolished. The original school no longer stands, and a new McCormick Middle School was constructed adjacent to the Wellington High School.
Telescope and Observatory
1922 saw the addition of an astronomical observatory with a 4-inch Bausch & Lomb refracting telescope. These items were gifts from the Wellington Alumni Association in memory of Prof. R.H. Kinnison, a former Superintendent of Wellington Schools. His hobbies included astronomy and related sciences. The total cost was quoted at $2,250, which included the observatory tower, telescope/mount and various accessories. The agreed location for this memorial was on the roof of the 1916 addition. The white dome is visible in the Color McCormick with Observatory picture on the right.
1938 Classroom/Auditorium Addition
In 1938, 15 new classrooms and an auditorium/gymnasium were approved by the Board of Education. The proposed total cost was $194,402 with $85,612 coming from a Federal Public Works Administration grant listed under "P.W.A. - Docket-No. OH-1673 F" and the remaining amount collected from a bond issue, which voters passed during a special election on August 6, 1938. The project formally started on July 22, 1938 and was completed September 5, 1939.
Architect
The additions were designed by Cleveland architect, Harry A. Fulton. During his career, Fulton was known as the "dean of school architects". He designed many school buildings in Cleveland and northeast Ohio. Henretta, Avon, Brownhelm and Columbia Schools in Lorain County, all built between 1921 - 1922, were designed by the architectural firm of Fulton, Taylor and Cahill.
Wellington Historic District
The Wellington Historic District is listed on the National Register of Historic Places as an Historic District. It was added to the register in 1978 and consists of 200 buildings. 116 of these buildings are either listed individually or listed as a contributing building on the National Register. McCormick Middle School is not individually listed, but is inventoried as a contributing building. Quotes from the NRHP Inventory/Nomination Form:
"From the public square to the southern edge of the district, South Main Street is a tree lined residential street that contains some of Lorain County's finest historic houses."
"Few communities have a resource of historic buildings, either in magnitude or quality, as Wellington possesses."
"While historic buildings are found throughout the village, the great majority and the finest examples may be found along South Main Street and the center of town."
