Heber college, while currently not available for visitation here at Pioneer’s museum, remains an inseparable piece of Valley history, initially opened as the Heber college of Agriculture in 1910, the school had an inaugural class of twelve students, and was eventually closed in 1912 due to financial hardships. After this, the property would find use again when a Grammar school relocated there, performing class there until 1915, when an earthquake struck the area and damaged the building seriously.
After the property was eventually repaired, the building then saw use intermittently throughout the next forty-four years until being closed for the very last time in 1960. This Carnegie-Style place of learning was, unsurprisingly, originally located in Heber, and has had a certain amount of spirited folklore generated over the decades of imperial history made inside and around it. 1
Past Perfect – Photocopies of News Articles [A1985.80.1]
Small Heber Bumps On Road To Progress
Old Heber School Recalls Past
No, Virginia, There Are No Ghosts – Or Are There?
The Ghost of Heber
Couple To Renovate School
Heber: Another dream that never materialized
History indicated Heber Destined not to Flourish
Past Perfect – Magazine [A1985.80.2]
Magazine article titled: The History of the Imperial Valley Collegiate Institute, written by H.W. Moorehouse. {This was published in one of the Valley Grower magazines.}
Past Perfect – Photo [A1985.80.2]
Photocopy of deed between Heber Collegiate Institute aka Heber College, and Imperial Valley Improvement Company. Deed is dated Sept. 1, 1909