After the founding of the Moline Board of Education, Moline High School took the form of a two-room schoolhouse. It was replaced with Central/Washington school, which housed grades 1-13, after its building completion in 1873. This, of course, was notably larger. Still getting progressively more spacious, a building nicknamed "the Castle" by passing travelers on the Mississippi became the new Moline High School in 1894. Its moniker referred to the architectural style which took a departure from the basic rectangular designs. It became "Central Grammar", an eighth-grade school, when the new 1914 building was built nearby. Central then was used as an annex for the high school on the same land, and as that became less necessary, Moline Community College occupied rooms. The basement was used as a recreational center as the building was losing its purpose. Finally, the most recent facility was built on the Avenue of the Cities. In close proximity to the former middle school, Calvin Coolidge, and the Roosevelt elementary school, the 1958 building is the most developed. It was built at a cost of about $4 million, which equates to nearly $30 million in today's money. One of the more striking designs featuring outer walls made nearly completely from glass, it introduced protruding wings which provided for fairly spacious classrooms and subject specialization. The large property allowed the architects to spread out the design, with one hallway stretching over 800 feet long. Despite its three-floor-section and countless classrooms, in 1968, a new J-wing and West gym were constructed to compensate for the over-population. It currently contains about 2,400 students from the combined Moline and Coal Valley areas as well as many teachers from the main Quad Cities area.
Music Program
Moline High School has various musical ensembles including Freshman Band, Concert Band, Symphonic Band, Concert Orchestra, Symphonic Orchestra, Concert Choir, A Capella Choir, Freshman Chorus, Treble Chorus, Jazz Ensemble, Jazz Band, and Chamber Orchestra.
In May 2017, it was announced that a $7 million grant from the Robert E. Bartlett Family Foundation would be given to the high school to fund a new performing arts center. It was also revealed that the school district would pitch in $3 million more raised from local sales tax. In March 2019, the Bartlett Performing Arts Center opened to the public.
New Athletic Facility
Due to the growing population of the school, there is a huge need for new athletic facilities at Moline High School. The gymnasiums and weight rooms are operating at full-capacity during the school day. In the winter of 2020, Moline will have a new, state-of-the-art facility with a "six-lane track, four multi-use courts, improved locker rooms, and a weight room." The construction project is valued at 14 million dollars and will allow for a safer space to hold physical and recreational activities for students. Instead of using local taxpayer money, the district will be funding the project through an eight-year bond repayment program. Although the current plan does not include a new pool, the Board of Education has established a committee that is working on finding a partner to help with the financial commitment. The pool hasn't been updated in over sixty years.
This indoor arena, located a mile and a half from the high school campus, can house up to 6,000 fans at a time. The field house, built just under a century ago, has become a local treasure and a historic landmark for the Moline community. In May 2020, Wharton Field House made the final four in a Twitter poll where users voted to determine the "Best Gym in Illinois."
Athletics
Girls' Softball
Softball has been an official sport in Illinois since 1976, and Moline has won the state title six times —putting them in second place in the number of state softball titles, behind leader Casey Westfield which has seven titles. Moline is one of five schools that has won titles in back-to-back seasons. In the 2005–06 season, Moline won more games than any other school in the history of the state of Illinois without posting a loss, compiling a record, and winning the girls' AA state title.
Notable alumni
Bonnie Bartlett: television and film actress
Louis Bellson: jazz drummer
Ken Berry: actor
Don Carothers: football player
Brad Cresswell: radio broadcaster and opera singer
