1857

Kalamazoo Village Trustees purchase five acres of land on which the old Central building now stands.

1858

First day of public high school in Kalamazoo. Daniel Putnam was hired as superintendent of Kalamazoo Public Schools and principal of the high school.

1859

First Board of Education in Kalamazoo elected.

1863

First high school class graduated eight seniors, five men and three women.

1865

First all female graduating class of three women.

1870

An earthquake occurred; damage to the high school was questioned.

1874

Circuit Judge Charles R. Brown ruled against taxpayer Charles E. Stuart in the controversial case regarding the use of public funds for maintenance of a high school. Michigan Supreme court upheld Judge Brown's decision that same year, better known as the "Kalamazoo Case."

1875

Only all-male graduating class in the high school's history included two men.

1880

The "Old Union" building was condemned and razed.

1881

The "New Union" was erected.

1884

The Occident, the earliest Central High School paper of record began publication.

1893

Mary E. Pengelly becomes the first woman to serve on the Kalamazoo Board of Education.

1893

Athletic Association formed, selects maroon and white as their colors.

1893

First K. C. football team was formed, 2-1-1 record for the season.

1897

High school building destroyed by fire, school convenes at YMCA.

1898

The new high school building opens on Lincoln's birthday.

1905

Football team was undefeated and unscored upon through entire season. Record of 10-0-0.

1905

Student orchestra formed.

1905

Physical training introduced for high school girls.

1906

Students' band formed at K.C., first high school band in Michigan.

1907

Delphian editorials seek support for a high school library and reading room.

1908

First Kalamazoo Central Basketball team formed.

1909

First Dramatic Club organized.

1910

Principal R.R.N. Gould resigns, replaced by Earl "Pa" Worth.

1911

School lunches began.

1913

Delphian staff allows the female students to publish its May issue in honor of the Equal Suffrage movement.

1916

Tennis considered as a major sport at Central.

1918

First basketball state championship.

1919

Earl N. Worth, high school principal resigns and is replaced by Charles Fisher.

1919

Ban on high school dances lifted.

1921

Spanish Club is formed.

1925

New Central building on Westnedge is dedicated.

1926

William Head becomes principal at Central.

1927

Central Chorus finishes in first place at state tournament.

1929

Swimming is considered a major sport.

1930

Cross country team shares state championship with Grand Rapids South.

1930

Symphonic Band plays under the personal direction of John Philip Sousa.

1931

Cross country team wins fifth state championship in past seven years.

1931

Intramural football begins.

1932

Basketball team wins state championship #2.

1932

Upjohn Field is dedicated at Homecoming game.

1933-34

Central celebrates its 75th anniversary.

1934

Central closed three weeks early due to financial hardship caused by the Depression.

1935

Delphian rated first place by the National Inter-Scholastic Press Association for the second consecutive year.

1936

Basketball team shares third state title with Flint Northern.

1937

Dr. Loy Norrix hired as superintendent of KPS.

1938

Basketball team wins championship #4.

1939

Upjohn Field is lighted giving Central its first night football games.

1942

Central students block Westnedge Avenue with 200 tons of scrap metal for the war effort.

1943

Curriculum changed to meet needs of students who were going to enter industry or the armed forces.

1945

Eugene Thomas becomes principal at Central.

1946

Cross country team wins state championship.

1947

Future U.S. Astronaut, James A. McDivitt Jr. graduates from Central.

1948

All-state honors awarded to the Delphian, the highest award in the state.

1951

Basketball team wins state championship #7 for the third consecutive season. Coach Bob Quiring's team is first Class-A high school team in state history to win three state titles in a row.

1953

Wrestling team begins interscholastic competition.

1955

Kalamazoo Central Alumna, Pauline Byrd Taylor joined faculty at the high school. First black graduate of Kalamazoo College and first black instructor hired by KPS.

1958-59

Kalamazoo Central celebrates its centennial year.

1958

Eleanor Roosevelt returned to speak at the high school auditorium exactly 20 years after her first appearance there.

1960

799 students graduate from Central, the largest graduating class in Central's history.

1961

Loy Norrix High School opens.

1961

Swimming team sets a new world's record in the backstroke relay at the Loy Norrix pool.

1961

First foreign exchange students arrive from West Berlin.

1963-64

Tennis team has undefeated season, Six-A champions.

1964-65

Tennis team has second undefeated season.

1965

Principal Eugene Thomas retires as longest serving principal in Central's history, 20 years.

1965

U.S. Astronaut and Central graduate, James A. McDivitt Jr. is awarded his varsity letter for his successful space flight in Gemini 4, America's first "walk in space."

1967

Outbreak of racial conflict closes Central for one week.

1972

Central moves to the Drake Road site. Dedication of the Eugene S. Thomas stadium.

1972-73

First women's tennis State Championship in Michigan's high school sports history won by Central.

1972-73

Hockey teams debut.

1974-75

Varsity volleyball begins for women at KCHS.

1978-79

Central's women's track team has seventh consecutive unbeaten season.

1981-82

Soccer becomes a varsity sport.

1987-88

Insight, the high school newspaper, won a first place award from the American Scholastic Press Association for the sixth consecutive year.

1989

Women's track team had a 10-0 record and women's cross country team was 10-1. Women's soccer team had a 16-1 record.

1990

The women's golf team had a perfect 30 and 0 season.

1990

The Mock Trial Team won their fourth consecutive State Championship and represented the State of Michigan in the national competition. The team was nicknamed "The Kalamazoo Dynasty."

1992

Central graduated its 150th class since 1863.

1993

Dr. Joseph Payton became the 27th principal at Kalamazoo Central.

1994

The Mock Trial Team won their eighth consecutive state championship.

1994

Don Jackson, basketball coach retires after 27 successful years at Central.

1994

The Women's Golf Team won the Class A State Championship.

1995

The Women's Golf Team won the Class A State Championship for the second consecutive year.

1995

Don Jackson received the State Coach of the Year award for men's basketball.

1995

Victor Callahan received the State Coach of the Year award for women's golf.

1995

Philip Wilson received the State Coach of the Year award for women's soccer.