Heyburn Elementary School Art Collection
Heyburn, Minidoka County

Location: 1431 17th Street, Heyburn, Idaho 83336

The old Heyburn High School was built as a federal WPA project in 1936. From 1932 until 1952 Heyburn High School sponsored what became a nationally renowned art show. It initially began when a teacher, J.W. Whiting, moved from Springville, Utah to Heyburn. Springville Utah High School had an annual juried art show. When Mr. Whiting arrived in Heyburn, he instituted the same tradition. Every year Springville would ship by railcar the “Annual Spring Salon” to Heyburn High School. During this period, the Heyburn senior class would collect nickels, and quarters to purchase a painting each year. In 1956, with the consolidation of Heyburn, Rupert and Paul High Schools into Minico High, the art show ended. The collection is considered one of the finer public art collections in Idaho. Artists include Olaf Moller, Mildred B. Miller, Nellie Kilgore Klinge, Walter Koeniger, Bent Franklin Larsen, Gerald McCann, Robert Clunie, Jessie Arms, James T. Harwood, Leland Curtis, Florence Ellen Ware, Paul Salisbury, George Eugene Schroeder, Cornelius Salisbury and Edgar Alwin Payne among others.