Historic Banks Union High School Accepted For State Review For Nomination To The National Register Of Historic Places (Photo) - 12/17/25
The 105-year-old two-story brick building is currently slated for demolition by the Banks School District.
Banks, Oregon – December 17, 2025 – The Banks Historical Society today announced that a year-long application process for the nomination of the historic Banks Union High School building to the National Register of Historic Places has been accepted for review by the Oregon State Advisory Committee on Historic Preservation (SACHP). The review is scheduled for Thursday, February 19, 2026 at approximately 11:15AM Pacific Time. Public comments are now open – email to ORSHPO.NationalRegisterProgram@oprd.oregon.gov with your comments or to request information to speak at the meeting.
“Acceptance for review by SACHP is the first step to official National Register designation,” said Laurelen Jabbour, president of the Banks Historical Society. “This indicates the significance of this building to our state’s cultural heritage, and it re-asserts the importance of considering the building’s historic status before permitting it to be demolished.”
A private citizen’s group began efforts to save the building in November 2024 and in June 2025 the Banks Historical Society launched a Save the Historic Banks Union High School campaign. Their aim has been to preserve the 105-year-old building – the first Union High School in Washington County and the only remaining original historic brick structure in the city of Banks.
The building is slated to be demolished soon to change the footprint of a new high school campus, however construction of a new school does not absolutely require demolition of the historic building, which could be upgraded for non-school use as administrative or commercial offices.
Separate from the Banks Historical Society’s efforts with SACHP, the private citizen’s group has now launched an effort to put the demolition of the school on the ballot for a district-wide vote. More information on that effort and where to sign the petition can be found HERE.
To learn more, get involved in the National Register effort or to make a tax-deductible contribution toward preservation efforts, please visit bankshistory.org. For more information on the project and ongoing updates, visit the Banks Historical Society Facebook page.
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.
