HISTORY

A Welcome from the Administration

Welcome to Williamstown High School - home of the Yellow Jackets. Williamstown High School in located in northern rural Wood County, WV on the banks of the Ohio River across from Marietta, OH. The city was named for Isaac Williams, who settled on the land in 1787. In 1907 the cornerstone ceremony was held for the construction of a new high school for grades 1-12. Originally known as Williams District High School, it consolidated eleven different one or two room school houses. The consolidated schools were Stapleton, Greenmont, Sand Hill, Pleasant Valley, Vienna, Williamstown, Oak Grove, Summit, Kinnaird, Plum Run, and Oak Lane Schools. Some say that Williams District High School was the first consolidated school in West Virginia.

In 1930, the high school was placed on the North Central Association’s list of approved secondary schools. In 1933, the district Board of Education was dissolved and the high school became Williamstown High School. In 1945 the first bond levy was passed with eighty-seven percent of the Williamstown residents voting for a new gymnasium and work started at the corner of Fifth and Williams Avenues. The new gym was dedicated on December 1, 1951 and the current high school was built adjoining the gymnasium in 1957. Three additional classrooms were added in 1961 and in 1974 a new library, eight classrooms, band room facility, and a kitchen and cafeteria were added at the cost of one million dollars. Construction started in 2005 for the addition of eight classrooms, a new gymnasium, and a complete facility overhaul which was finished in 2008. The newest addition to the school was started in 2019 and includes four classrooms, a multi-purpose room, an auditorium and two offices.

Currently Williamstown High School is one of three high schools in Wood County. It that has an enrollment of over 700 students in grades six through twelve. Williamstown is the smallest of the three county schools and is the only high/middle school housing grades 6 – 12. Williamstown High School has one feeder schools, Williamstown Elementary which is located off of Henderson Avenue. Both Williamstown Elementary and Williamstown High School are the center of the community. Many members of the community have attended the Williamstown school system for generations and the parents and community of Williamstown support the school and all activities. Parents have high expectations of their children and of the school and they show much pride and support of the schools. Parents feel the school system is caring and is academically strong.