Urbana Male and Female Seminary
Urbana Seminary
Corner of Birch and Oregon Street, Urbana
Building burned in 1872
Located on Birch and Oregon Street, the Urbana Male and Female Seminary was the first high school built in Urbana in 1855. It was initially established under the patronage of the Methodist Episcopal Church to provide Christian education. However, when it could not compete with free tuition at public schools, the Church sold it to the Urbana School District in 1857. The school tragically burned down in 1872, and a new one was erected on the same site. What was first known as the Third Ward School and Oregon Street School was eventually renamed Leal School after founding superintendent Thomas R. Leal. After Thornburn School was built in 1896, Leal became a grade school exclusively. The original building was torn down and replaced in 1935, but it bears the name of Leal Elementary to this day.
