Then and Now: Mildred Rogers Elementary School

Over the years the Silver Lake area has served Wilmington in many ways. 

In the early part of the century the area was a thriving vacation community filled with cottages and summer residents. There was even a train which allowed city dwellers to travel to “the country” and enjoy the lake for the day. Years later, many of those cottages were turned into year round homes and, suddenly, tourists were replaced with full time Wilmington residents.

Today, Silver Lake is a true recreation center providing swimming, canoeing, plenty of beach activities and, of course, a well used fishing dock. What we forget, however, is that not that long ago Silver Lake was also home to the Mildred Rogers Elementary School.

Built in the early 1930’s the school was originally named, quite aptly, The Silver Lake Elementary School.  That changed, however, when, on November 28, 1942, the school’s principal Mildred Rogers died in the famous Cocoanut Grove Fire.

One of the most tragic fires in United States history, The Cocoanut Grove Fire claimed a total of 492 people including several Wilmington residents.  To this day it remains the single most deadly nightclub fire in American history and many families still mourn their losses.

After Mildred Roger’s tragic death the Silver Lake School was renamed in her honor as The Mildred H. Rogers Elementary School. The school remained in use until the early 1970’s.

Ironically, the Mildred H. Rogers Elementary School was lost to a fire in the early 1980’s.