The forerunner of Fenger High School, Kensington Elementary, was a six room, grade and high school level school built in 1853 on the corner of 116th St. and Michigan Avenue. In 1894, Curtis Elementary and High School was opened. Curtis was renamed Christian Fenger High School in 1916. Sixteen years later, in November, 1926, after two years of construction, the present Fenger Academy High School was opened and was dedicated a few months later on June 3, 1927. It was built to accommodate 2,200 students and is now home to nearly 3,000.
Fenger is named in honor of Dr. Christian Fenger (1840-1902). Dr. Fenger was born, raised and educated in Denmark. He came to America in 1877 and settled in Chicago. For the last 25 years of his life Dr. Fenger served as professor of surgery at Chicago Medical College and Rush Medical College, surgeon-in-chief at Cook County, Passavant, and Mercy Hospitals, and as president of Chicago Medical Society.
Throughout its history, Fenger High School has had a long tradition of school and community involvement by the student body. Their participation in the many activities of the school's clubs and organizations is reflected in the material that comprises the collection. There are 33 classrooms, 4 shops, 5 science labs 7 vocational labs, media center for 155, 1 auditorium, (1740seats), 2 gymnasia, 1 pool, 1 weight room, 1 wrestling room, 4 resource and tutorial centers, 1 social room, 1 meeting room, an athletic practice field, 1 lunchroom, a driver education range complete with driver training mobile on site.