I was excited to tell this story, our dear friend Beverly Seivley was a teacher at the school. The pictures show a cool modern building and design, but there’s more history to Dodge than the building belies.
The original school was known as Eureka Elementary, and it opened on March 25, 1940.
The building was remodeled in 1944, 1950, 1952.
In 1954, Eureka became a part of the Wichita Public Schools. The school’s name was changed to the Almon E. Dodge Elementary School.
Almon Dodge was a pioneer who homesteaded in west Wichita.
Almon Emerson Dodge was born December 12, 1845
In 1869, Almon and his brothers Enoch and Franklin moved to Wichita, and were among the first settlers in the Delano Township.
After the brothers settled, they joined up with a couple of partners and formed a ferry service across the bridgeless Big Arkansas River.
Dodge was also the first justice of the peace of Delano Township and served on the school board.
Mr. Dodge would later serve as construction superintendent of the first bridge built across the river south of the city.
Almon’s house was on the northeast corner of Douglas and Seneca. That corner now host Taco Rio, McDonalds and Subway.
Interesting side note: Enoch’s house is still standing at 2nd and Martinson. The Enoch men planned a fairground near second and Seneca. Exposition Street was named for this short lived venture.
Almon, the last of the brothers, died on July 26, 1934 at the age of 88.
Beginning with the 1995-1996 school year, Dodge became known as the Dodge-Edison Partnership school. It was the second Edison Partnership School in the country.
The contract with the Edison Project was terminated in 2003 and the school’s name changed to Dodge Literacy Magnet School. The new program’s goal was to teach students a love of reading and writing.
In November 2008, a School bond was passed and it was determined that Dodge would get a new building.
The ribbon cutting for the building was on August 16, 2011.
Check out Wichita’s other schools.