Early History of the Town -
In the 1800s, Jake Hildebrand, son of one of the first descendants, put the first switch off the railroad into his sawmill so he could saw timber from his farmland. It became known as the "Hildebrand Switch" and even later was shortened to just "The Switch."
The Town of Hildebran received its official name from the early Hildebrand family settlers, Jake and Soloman Hildebrand. When the Post Office and Town Charter were applied for, someone mistakenly omitted the "d" from Hildebrand and it has been spelled "Hildebran" ever since.
Hildebran was first incorporated in 1899 and had its own frame jail that stood behind the location of the old Hildebran Dry Cleaners Building.
Albert L. Parkhurst Municipal Complex...from the beginning:
The Albert L. Parkhurst Municipal Complex began its life as a schoolhouse. The first brick schoolhouse (building on left) was built in Hildebran in 1917. It remains a part of the present building but has had several additions during the years. No electricity was available until the early 1920s. The auditorium was lighted for night programs by several gas lanterns.
The first addition to the school was in about 1923, an auditorium with additional classrooms on the second floor. The original auditorium was converted to classrooms.
The first commencement was held in 1919. By 1925 the graduating class had increased to fourteen members.
A wooden structure was built in the '40s to be used as a lunchroom. It later became the school's first gymnasium.
In 1957 more land was purchased and a new primary ("main") building was constructed (building on right). In 1959, a new auditorium was added with a band room. A new gymnasium was added in 1965.
In January of 2011, the Town of Hildebran re-acquired the Auditorium for the benefit of the Town's citizens.
In 2011 the Hildebran Heritage Museum was set up, by the Hildebran Heritage Development Association, in the lower level of the Auditorium.
The municipal complex was named for former Mayor, Albert Parkhurst. Mayor Parkhurst was elected to office for the 1975-1979 term and returned in 1989 to serve until his death in 2007.
