Tope Elementary School, Grand Junction, Colorado 39.086979 -108.558980 2220 North 7th Street Grand Junction Colorado USA https://www.google.com/maps/place/2220+N+7th+St,+Grand+Junction,+CO+81501/@39.086912,-108.5611257,17z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m5!3m4!1s0x Google Map link for 2220 North 7th Street, Grand Junction, Colorado In 1920, there was rapid growth in the northeast part of Grand Junction, but funds for schools were limited, so elementary classes were held in three classrooms in the basement of the east wing of Grand Junction High School (which was located at 9th Street and Chipeta Avenue at the time). Together, these classrooms became known as the Chipeta School. In 1922, students were transferred to Washington Elementary, which was built at 9th Street and Hill Avenue. Tope Elementary was established in 1941 at 2220 North 7th Street and students from the Washington School were transferred there. Tope was the first District 1 building built in the 1940's, designed by Temple Buell of Denver with the latest school improvements including: recessed cupboards between radiators, rounded moldings, map boards, built-in closets, and a buzzer system. The school's walls were also painted in pastels instead of drab buff or gray. There were six classrooms, a kitchen, clinic, and auxiliary rooms. The school was built with a combination of school district funds, and WPA funds and labor. In 1949, a south wing was made adding six additional classrooms as well as an auditorium in the north wing, kitchen and lunchroom facilities, more toilet facilities, and a first aid room. In 1954, with Ruth Larson as principal, a cottage school was built on the east end of the playground for the first and second graders, followed by another one in 1956 to ease overcrowding. During this time, Washington Elementary was renovated and fourth grade students from Tope were transported to Washington School for classes. The school was named for former superintendent Richard E. Tope. *Information was taken from In the Beginning...A History of the Districts and Schools that became Mesa County Valley School District Number 51 by Albert and Terry LaSalle, adapted from Ruth Larson's History of Tope School (1962) yes yes