Madison County High School

Madison County High School was the first public, state high school in Madison County. The Alabama State Legislature passed a bill in 1906-1907 inviting the creation of a state high school in each Alabama County, for which Huntsville and other communities competed: Gurley was selected. Gurley's success was a reslut of the financial support of the town as well as the Cumberland Presbyterian Church's donation of the Robert Donnell School, which had been in existence since 1890. The high point of the endeavor occurred when the governor of Alabama visited Gurley for the dedication of the new high school. A host of people gathered at the train station, greeted the governor and, along with the marching band, escorted his entrourage to the school for the celebration.

The Rober Donnell building served as the high school until 1937, when the building on Wood Street in Gurley was constructed. This building is now part of the Madison County Elementary/Middle School campus. The current Madison County High School was occupied in 1999 and is located at the corner of Brock Road and Highway 72.