Highland (Anderson) (3,500) Built 1977
January 27, 2024
January 27, 2024
Sitting near the far northeast corner of the Anderson school district is a large former high school building that currently houses the junior high. It closed in 2010 due to declining enrollment across a district that had now gone from three high schools at one point to just one. There was a lot of upheaval at the time because while all three high schools were under the same Anderson umbrella, they each had distinct customs, followings, and impacts on their respective communities. The same was true in basketball. Highland didn't have the dominant track record or aura surrounding their program like the Anderson Indians and the Wigwam did, but they had a lot of success in their own right and traditions that ran deep in that community. I mean who else can say they have bagpipes as a part of their gameday festivities? While some of these traditions are still carried on in smaller ways at the current Anderson High through the famous Marching Highlanders or through the current Highland Scots at the middleschool, it's a fragment of the rich heritage that was lost when the high school was shuttered. This applies to the gym as well. While you can still feel the history of what was, and what potentially could be, there's a lingering sense of sadness in the air.
The current gym at Highland features a beautiful centerpiece with the court itself, surrounded by a cavernous shell that needs some life injected into it. The hardwood was actually replaced very recently due to water damage, and they did a great job with the design. Red and black is undefeated as a color scheme, and everything here is trimmed in it. The contrasting grey, red, and light hardwood color is a great backdrop for the action on the court. The giant "scot" at center court with a Highland crest on the shield is a really nice touch. The main baskets on each end are permanent and anchored into the floor which is not very common anymore. Out in the lobby you can also find a great homage to one of the old center court fixtures hanging on the wall. There's also a nice display honoring the six elementary schools that often use the gym for games today.
The first time I walked into the Highland gym after I got hired in Anderson, it blew me away how big the space seems. The ceiling feels a mile high, and the upper deck bleachers look massive and intimidating when rolled up. Unfortunately, rolled up is the only way you see those upper bleachers anymore, as there is rarely an occasion that they are needed. The gym has a standard two level setup, with about 15 rows on the lower half and 20 on the upper. The bleachers themselves are dark brown and are the kind you can see right through to the depths beneath. While you know they won't, it still feels like your toddler may slip through the cracks if you're not careful. 3,500 is the reported seating capacity number that I found, and it feels like a lot more than that. You can walk all the way around the upper deck even though there are no upper seats along the baselines. Above the far baseline wall are two really cool older murals of more "scots." Directly underneath those is a big "SCOTS" sign in more modern shades of black and red with block lettering. Underneath that upper level is a little cutout area behind the baseline that may have had some extra seating at some point but is just empty now. The opposing baseline wall is pretty empty and bleak except for a few banners honoring past athletes and the old conference symbol. It's a shame they didn't leave the banners honoring the past conference schools. I'm guessing there was probably a lot more signage when the high school was active, but it's pretty bare now. Built high and far back into the side walls along the upper bleachers are doors that can only be accessed when the bleachers are rolled out. These always intrigue me.
I have a file on my phone with a list of gyms that are no longer actively used for high school games but still exist that I would like to visit someday. Some are now parts of elementary or middle schools like Highland, others are community centers, parts of businesses, apartment complexes, and even private residences. Many districts are hosting "throwback games" at these old gyms once a year to drum up community interest and support. There have been some incredible turnouts and results. People want to feel connected to their past. They want a chance to celebrate the best of what used to be. I hope I get a chance to experience something like this at Highland some day. I'll never get to travel back in time and see what it was like to watch a game there on a Friday night against a rival school when the Zachary brothers were holding court. That moment in time is gone. What's not gone is this gym, and a community that still remembers and cares. There are many stories like this across the state, though the number slowly dimishes with each passing year. We need to preserve and protect them while we still can.
*Update*
November 30, 2024: Anderson vs. Liberty Christian (Boys)
November 30, 2024: Anderson vs. Liberty Christian (Boys)
Over the summer, Anderson decided to put in some new retractable red plastic bleachers on both sides of the lower level at Highland. You know I'm normally anti-plastic bleachers, but I'd say in this case it might be an improvement. The old bleachers weren't even wood anyways, they were the fake-fiber kind. The red plastic really pops against the old brown bleachers that are still in the upper level. It looks pretty good. I got to see them in person for an actual high school game which is what I've always dreamed of attending at Highland. To make it even better, they pulled down one level of upper bleachers because it was needed. The game was between Anderson and Liberty Christian, so both rosters were loaded with Anderson kids and the entire community came out to support. It was an electric atmosphere and a great game between two very solid teams. It wasn't 9,000+ packed into the Wigwam, but it was the closest thing to classic Anderson basketball that I've experienced since I've lived here. It was a really cool night, and I hope they do it again.
