Traverse City Central High School

The first public school in Traverse City opened in 1853. In 1877, it was moved to a new building called the Central School, built at Seventh and Pine Streets, which was rebuilt as a brick building in 1886.[4][5][6] In 1934, the Central school building burned down,[7][8] and students were relocated to the nearby Perry Hannah House while the school was being rebuilt.[9][10]

In 1959, grades 10 through 12 moved into a new building called Traverse City Senior High School[11][12] at its present day location, on grounds formerly owned by the Northwestern Michigan College.

In 1978, 1985 and 1988, the Trojans of Traverse City Senior High School won the MHSAA Class A football championships.[13]

In 1997, because of overcrowding at the school, which had become one of the largest high schools in Michigan, a second high school was built, and opened in early 1998. The new high school became Traverse City West Senior High School, and the existing one was renamed to Traverse City Central High School.[14]

The original Traverse City High School from 1937 to 1959. This building later housed Traverse City Junior High School from 1959 to 1970, and Central Grade School from 1970 to today.

The demographic breakdown of the 1,426 students enrolled in 2018-19 was:[15]

• Male - 49.8%
• Female - 50.2%
• Native American - 1.5%
• Asian - 1.9%
• Black - 1.3%
• Hispanic - 4.0%
• Pacific Islander - 0.2%
• White - 88.7%
• Multiracial - 2.3%

In addition, 26.9% of students were eligible for reduced-price or free lunch.

Students celebrating the 1988 MHSAA Class A football championship at the now-demolished Pontiac Silverdome. In this game, the Traverse City Trojans beat the Detroit Catholic Central Shamrocks 24–14.

Traverse City Central's sports teams are known as the Trojans. The school is part of the Big North Conference, and is considered a Class A school by MHSAA.[16] Central has an intense across-town rivalry with Traverse City West Senior High Titans. Each year, the schools hold an annual football game to honor veterans known as the "Patriot Game". In 2020, the Central versus West game was to honor Frontline workers who served during the coronavirus pandemic, and is known as the "Celebrate Service Game".[17] Central won this game.

In 1978, 1985 and 1988, the Trojans of Traverse City Senior High School won the MHSAA Class A football championships.[13]

Prior to the 1997 school split, the Traverse City Trojans had an intense rivalry with the Alpena Wildcats.[18]

Sign outside the high school

• Demas T. Craw, United States Army Air Force officer[19]
• Eric Daigh, artist[20]
• Kevin Elsenheimer, judge and politician[21]
• Alden G. Glauch, former major general of the United States Air Force[22]
• Tom Kozelko, former NBA player[23]
• Dan Majerle, former all-star NBA player[24]
• William Milliken, former Governor of Michigan[25][26]
• Suzy Merchant, MSU Girls Basketball Coach[27]
• Andy Pascoe, baseball player and coach[28]
• Thomas G. Power, judge[29]
• Autumn Rademacher, assistant basketball coach at University of Nebraska Omaha[30]
• Zach Redmond, Colorado Avalanche Defenseman [31]
• Alma Routsong, lesbian fiction novelist[32]
• Scott Schwenter, professor of Hispanic linguistics at Ohio State University
• Harold Sherman, author[33]
• Ezra Winter, muralist[34]

• Central High School Website*