Banks Union High School Considered For National Register Of Historic Places (Photo) - 02/25/26
Oregon State Advisory Committee on Historic Preservation deemed the structure worthy of recommendation for the National Register of Historic Places, but demolition continues.
Banks, Oregon – February 25, 2026 – The Banks Historical Society today announced that on February 19, 2026 the State Advisory Committee on Historic Preservation (SACHP) discussed the Banks Union High School complex and stated that in their professional opinions, both the 106‑year‑old brick building and the adjacent WPA‑built gymnasium met the criteria for significance required for listing in National Register of Historic Places. Committee members expressed a “high level of confidence” that the property would have been recommended for forwarding to the federal level – however, the process could not move forward because the school district had already begun demolition.
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States’ official list of buildings, districts, structures, sites and objects important to local, state or national history. The SACHP reviews all proposed National Register Nominations in Oregon. The application process for the National Register is rigorous, and the SACHP commended the Banks Historical Society preservation committee on the exceptional quality of the 70-page application, saying it would serve as an example to others seeking nomination for historic structures.
Specific aspects of the nomination cited by the SACHP were the historic significance of the building having been the first Union High School in Washington County – and among the first in the state. SACHP also cited the architectural significance of both the school and gymnasium buildings as classic examples of architecture from their respective eras.
Prior to demolition, the buildings were evaluated and deemed to have sufficient historic integrity for nomination to the National Register. The SACHP opened public comments and scheduled the hearing date of February 19 on December 11, 2025. The school district began demolition in early February, with major external demolition taking place days before the SACHP hearing, rendering the buildings ineligible.
“I can’t begin to express how grateful we are to the State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) and the SACHP for taking the time to carefully review our application and make public statements about the quality and eligibility of these buildings for the National Register,” said Nina Shurts, secretary of the Banks Historical Society and the lead author of the application. “It’s too late to save these structures for our community, but we hope this will serve as both a cautionary tale and a positive example for creation of successful National Register applications for other communities, organizations and individuals to act quickly to preserve their historic architecture before it’s all gone.”
In November 2024 more than 250 people signed a petition to save the 1920 school and shortly thereafter the Banks Historical Society began their efforts to apply for the National Register listing. The Banks School Board deemed the restoration of the historic school to be cost-prohibitive, and when a cost-neutral option that would have incorporated the historic building into the construction of the new school came before the board for a vote, it was rejected without explanation.
About the National Register in Oregon
The National Register program is run by the National Park Service and administered locally by the Oregon State Historic Preservation Office, an office of the Oregon State Parks and Recreation Department (OPRD).
Oregon’s State Advistory Committee on Historic Preservation (SACHP) is a nine-member, governor appointed body of citizens with expertise in fields relating to historic preservation. The SACHP reviews all proposed National Register Nominations in Oregon. The SACHP conducts three meetings a year at sites around Oregon. These meetings have a business session and often a tour of heritage sites and organizations in the region. All meetings and tours are free and open to the public.
About the Banks Historical Society
The mission of the Banks Historical Society is to preserve, protect, and promote the history and heritage of Banks, Oregon – and all municipalities and rural areas within the Banks School District – through educational programs, exhibitions, community engagement and recognition of local, state and national historic landmarks and resources in the service area. The all-volunteer Banks Historical Society is organized exclusively for charitable, educational, and historical purposes under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code.
To learn more, get involved or make a tax-deductible contribution, please visit bankshistory.org. For more information on Banks Historical Society activities and projects, visit the Banks Historical Society Facebook page.
