Duluth Denfeld High School, also known as Denfeld High School, is one of two high schools in Duluth, Minnesota along with Duluth East as of 2011 after the closure of Duluth Central and the previous closing of Morgan Park HS in 1982. Serving over 1000 students from grades nine to twelve, Denfeld High School has become a West Duluth landmark. The school is known for its architecture, including a historic auditorium and a 120-foot clock tower visible from Grand Avenue.
The home of the Hunters, Denfeld High School was known as Irving High School when it opened for classes on 11 September 1905. It was later called Duluth Industrial High School. When the school moved into today's MacArthur West school building at 725 North Central Avenue in 1915, its name was changed to honor Robert E. Denfeld, superintendent of Duluth schools from 1885 to 1916. During his tenure, the number of schools in Duluth increased from seven to 34. Denfeld was instrumental in the creation of a two-year program to train teachers which eventually grew to become the University of Minnesota Duluth.
The current building was constructed in red brick and limestone at a cost of $1,250,000 and opened in September 1926. Duluth architects Abraham Holstead and W.J. Sullivan designed the H-shaped English Gothic style building which features medieval carvings by Duluth master stone carver George Thrana. Thrana came to Duluth in 1889 from Norway where he was trained as a stone sculptor. He carved for 40 years in sandstone, granite, marble and limestone and his work is featured on many Duluth buildings including the Lyceum Theater, Old Central High School, Glensheen, the Board of Trade Building, St. Louis County Courthouse and the St. Louis County Jail.
The school has a 120-ft clock tower which features eight buttresses. Its face was designed by Carl Shroer, a teacher at Central High School, and was completed by Denfeld students who welded together four sections cast in aluminum by the Duluth Brassworks Company. The numbers on the face were painted silver and the clock hands were gold painted wood. The face was later painted black, in order to make it more easily visible from Grand Avenue.
Denfeld High School's auditorium was built at a cost of $25,000 and is another of its most prominent features. It can accommodate nearly 2000 people in the audience, 200 on stage and includes an orchestra pit. Public figures who've visited in the auditorium include Richard Nixon and Johnny Cash. The auditorium was renovated for $1,200,000 and reopened in late 2006 after being closed for nearly a year. The auditorium is the annual venue for Denfeld's traditional Maroon and Gold Day assembly during the week of homecoming when the auditorium is adorned with maroon and gold decorations.
Future of the school
Additions under construction in July 2011
In the spring of 2007, restructuring of Duluth's elementary, middle and high schools was discussed. Three options were proposed:
The Red Plan: Central and East would no longer function as high schools, leaving Denfeld as the only original high school in Duluth. Ordean Middle School would be turned into a high school with both buildings being remodeled and expanded to accommodate 1500 students.
The White Plan: Denfeld and East would become middle schools capable of holding 1100 students. Central would not be used, as Ordean and a new western high school would be created to accommodate 3000 total students.
The Blue Plan: East and Denfeld would be transformed into middle schools. Central would be used as the lone high school after being expanded to accommodate 3000 students.
The Duluth School District ultimately chose a modified version of the Red Plan, leaving Denfeld open and adding approximately half of the Central population. To accommodate the increased student population, two new additions to the school were built. Additionally, the school underwent major reconstruction in order to conform to state standards. Construction began in 2009 and continued until 2011. To accommodate the new addition, Denfeld's signature brick chimney had to be removed. The chimney was an original feature of the building, but had not been used in many years. Construction crews carefully removed the bricks, and the school planned to preserve some bricks for historical purposes. As a result of the construction, Denfeld and Central students both attended Central during the 2010–11 school year. In 2011, Central closed, leaving Denfeld and East as the only public high schools in Duluth.
2016 Nathaniel Rosholt (class of 2016) goes to State in Nordic Skiing
2016 Boys Soccer Section 7A champions, State participants
2017 Benjamin Emmel (class of 2018) goes to state in Boys' Golf
2017 Quinten Rimolde (sophomore) and Nick Anderson (senior) qualified for the State Debate Tournament
2018 Boys Soccer Lake Superior Conference Champions, Section 7A Champions, State Participants
2019 Baseball, Section Champs, Goes to State
2019 Track, Blake Eaton (Class of '22) sets State Record in 200 meter dash, wheelchair division at 35.70 seconds.
2020 Boys Soccer, Section 7A Champions. No State games due to COVID-19 restrictions. Keegan Chastey (Class of '21) named a Minnesota Mr. Soccer Finalist
2021 Track. Blake Eaton (Class of '22), wins 2 State Titles: 100 and 200 meter wheelchair dashes.
2021 Golf. Nate Burke (Class of '21) qualifies for State.
2021 Boys Soccer, Section 7AA runners-up. Joe Eklund (class of '22) named a Minnesota Mr. Soccer Finalist
2022 Boys Soccer, Section 7AA runners-up. Parker Chastey (class of '23) named a Minnesota Mr. Soccer Finalist
2023 Speech. Madeline Watts (Class of '23) and Reagan Kern (Class of '25) are both Section 7AA Champions in the categories of serious drama and serious prose, respectively, and head to State competition.
2023 Robotics team headed to Nationals/World Championships in April.
