Before MWHS it was MCHS
The new high school structure welcomed its first classes in fall 1917 as Mound Consolidated High School
📚 Founding & Early Years (Pre‑1917)
The surrounding communities had small one‑room schools (grades 1–8), such as Armstrong (built 1878).
For 9th–10th grades, early high school students studied in temporary classrooms at the Crocker Building in downtown Mound.
Fall 1917 – Mound Consolidated High School Opens
The new high school structure welcomed its first classes in fall 1917 as Mound Consolidated High School, part of District 85.
The inaugural graduating class of 1918 had just two students: Lulu Siefarth and Frieda Weber.
Growth and Expansion (1920s–1930s)
Consolidation meant closing local one‑room schools and bringing their students to Mound CHS.
Graduation size rose: ~2 in 1918, ~29 in 1928, ~64 by 1938.
Additions were made to the building in 1936 and again in 1938.
In 1938, the community formally dedicated a new high school building and gymnasium .
School Life in the Mid‑20th Century
By 1923, students actively participated in literary societies with monthly programs and public speaking contests.
Yearbook dedications (e.g., 1939’s “Mohian”) honored administrators and showcased school spirit.
Mid-Century Developments & Consolidation
In the 1930s, the school adopted the Mohawk mascot – an homage to local Native American burial mounds.
In 1958, District 85 officially became Westonka School District 277.
A major addition to the high school occurred in 1965: a new wing for growing enrollment.
Modern Era & Relocation
In fall 1971, the school relocated from downtown Mound to a new building a few miles away in Minnetrista. It was renamed Mound Westonka High School.
The “Mohawk” mascot was updated to the White Hawk in 1997.
Recent Upgrades & Recognitions
Voters approved a $23 million bond in 2016, funding:
The Westonka Activity Center
The Westonka Performing Arts Center (completed 2018).
The architectural design (by Hammel, Green & Abrahamson) earned an AIA Minnesota Merit Award in 1972.
➤ Timeline Snapshot
1917 Mound Consolidated HS opens
1918 First graduating class (2 students)
1920s–30s Consolidation & building expansion
1930s Becomes “Mohawk”
1958 District renamed Westonka 277
1965 New school addition
1971Relocated & renamed “Mound Westonka HS”
1997 Mascot changed to White Hawk
2016–18 New activity & performing arts centers
🎯 Why It Matters
Community impact: The school anchored education amid growing consolidation, evolving from a small community high school into a regional hub.
Architectural acclaim: The 1971 structure and later expansions reflect award-winning design and continuing investment.
Adaptation through time: Emblems changed—from burial mound-inspired Mohawk to modern White Hawks—due to misguided woke policies that cancelled the proud Mohawk-Iroquois Indian Nation.
