File:1906 - Allentown High School.jpg
The building was opened in in 1869 as the Central School, although construction had begun in 1858. In 1893, it became Allentown High School when high school classes were transferred from the Wolfe building at Lumber and Chew Streets, the city's first high school. however, it was only used as a high school for 23 years as in 1917 a much larger high school was opened at Seventeenth and Linden/Turner Streets.
Later renamed "Central Junior High School", the school taught middle grades until 1957, when it was first converted to a citywide sixth grade center. In 1981 it was realigned as an elementary school as "Central Elementary School", teaching grades Kindergarden though Five.
The school has been expanded several times over the years. The 1893 structure was destroyed by a massive fire in 1967, then reopened as a new building in 1970.