[1] Designed by Rockwell M. Milligan, the school opened on September 11, 1927, and it was named in honor of two African-American educators: George Boyer Vashon, the first black graduate of Oberlin College, and his son, John Boyer Vashon.

[5][6] Four members of the Vashon glee club created the popular singing group The Four Vagabonds in 1933.

[7] From 1935 to 1949, Vashon's boys basketball program won six state titles as part of the Missouri Negro Interscholastic Athletic Association.

[5] Its architectural design also strongly resembled a factory, and according to a local newspaper report, "the main school building, gym and auditorium make one think the people inside might be manufacturing cars or widgets.

[11] In August 2002, Vashon moved again, to a new building at 3035 Cass Avenue designed by Kennedy and Associates and built at a cost of $47.3  million.

[12] In 2006, the Riverfront Times, a local newspaper, published an investigative report that detailed extensive allegations of misconduct by Floyd Irons as coach at Vashon.