A North End native has written a book about life there and at Lanphier High School.

North End Pride:  The Story of Lanphier High School, Its People and Community was written by Ken Mitchell, who says some didn’t even want a school built there, in part because it took away from what was called “Reservoir Park.”

“The North Enders were livid,” Mitchell says.  “At the time, you really couldn’t do much about it.  It was during the Depression.  One fellow — his job…was threatened because of mentioning it.  But, we got a wonderful school there, so things work out.”

Mitchell says the book contains accounts from two-dozen people he’s interviewed, and pictures not seen publicly before.

“Marsha Bullard, a friend of the family from Springfield…I didn’t know it at the time, but her grandfather was the architect.  So, we got some first-ever-seen pictures of the construction of Lanphier.

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That’s in addition to pictures already in the Sangamon Valley collection at the Lincoln Library.

Mitchell says the book details how Lanphier came to be, how Pillsbury Mills and the watch factory among others played into the impact on the area, and more.  He says around two-dozen people were interviewed for the book, available by CLICKING HERE.