National Register of Historic Places

Penn, William, High School

High Point, Guilford County, North Carolina
Listed
November 16, 1978
Type
Building
Period
Industrial
Ref No.
78001959

About this property

William Penn High School, also known as High Point Normal & Industrial Institute, is a historic high school for African-American students located at High Point, Guilford County, North Carolina. The high school building was built in 1910–1911, and enlarged and renovated in 1929–1930. It is a two-story, 12 classroom Colonial Revival-style brick building. It has a projecting three-bay entrance pavilion. Two other buildings associated with the High Point Normal & Industrial Institute are on the property. The Institute was established by Quakers in 1891. They were built about 1910 and are a gable end frame structure sheathed in corrugated metal with a distinctive monitor roof and a brick building with a low pitched roof. The school closed in 1968 and was re-opened in 2003 as an arts magnet high school, Penn-Griffin School for the Arts. On February 11th, 1960, William Penn High School students organized what is thought to be the first sit-in organized by high school students protesting segregation. The school was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1978.

Location

High Point, Guilford County, North Carolina
35.96234, -79.99752

Categories

BLACKEDUCATION
National Register nomination ›
Sources

Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).

Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

Unlimited access

Everything a full report reveals about Penn, William, High School

This page lists Penn, William, High School. A full Aubrey report for an address near it pulls together this listing alongside battlefield records, land patents, and every other historical record within a chosen radius:

Overview
An interactive map of the location with historic sites, battles and Native heritage plotted, and its full story era by era.
The Land
The historic sites and place names around the location, and how this land was settled and used.
Geology
The bedrock beneath the site, its age and rock type, reaching back millions of years.
LiDAR Terrain
Laser-scanned terrain that reveals earthworks and old features hidden in the landscape.
Conflict & War
The battles, raids and skirmishes fought near here, across every era of American conflict.
The Civil War
The Civil War on this ground, 1861 to 1865: who held it, and the battles, camps and regiments nearby.
The Soldiers
The men who marched from here in the Civil War, named and traced where the record allows.
Native Heritage
The Native nations who held this land, mapped across time from before European contact to today.
Settlement
Who claimed and held this ground, from Indigenous homelands through the colonial powers to the United States.
The Community
How the town grew, who came, and what kind of place it became, traced through the census record.
Rivers & Rail
The rivers, canals and railroads that connected this place between 1830 and 1911.
Notable People
The people born, buried or genuinely tied to this exact place, with their stories.
Historical Maps
Historic maps of the location layered over how it looks today.
Finds & Access
Museum objects tied to the area, and the laws on searching, collecting and access here.
Literature
The old books, county histories and archives that mention this place, quoted with their sources.
Spotlight
A deep dive into the most remarkable, lesser-known history of the place, traced back to the record.
Points of Interest
The most significant historic sites and landmarks near the location, and why they matter.
Timeline
The whole story of the location told era by era, from first peoples to the present day.
First month just $5.99, then $11.99 a month. Unlimited locations, cancel anytime.

Every location is different. Not every section appears for every place, only what the historical record actually holds turns up in a report.

Start your Penn, William, High School report
Or see a real report first

Nearby Historic Sites

First Baptist Church
Industrial
0.2 mi
Kilby Hotel
Industrial
0.2 mi
Washington Street Historic District
Listed
0.2 mi
Enterprise Building
Industrial
0.6 mi
Guilford County Office and Court Building
Industrial
0.7 mi

Nearby Battles

Stoneman's Raid — High Point NC
1865Civil War
0.6 mi
Battle of Shallow Ford (Deep River)
1781Revolutionary War
4.9 mi
Battle of Hart's Mill (NC)
1781Revolutionary War
10.4 mi
Battle of Wetzell's Ford
1781Revolutionary War
11.2 mi

Questions about this property

When was Penn, William, High School listed on the National Register?

Penn, William, High School was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on November 16, 1978.

What type of historic resource is Penn, William, High School?

Penn, William, High School is classified as a building in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Penn, William, High School?

The period of significance for Penn, William, High School is recorded as the industrial era.

Can I research the history near Penn, William, High School?

Yes. Aubrey Research reports search National Register listings, battlefield records, land patents, and other primary historical sources within any radius of a US address. A report for an address near Penn, William, High School will include this listing and all other historical records in the area.

More in Guilford County

Historic places, battles, and census history across Guilford County.

Explore GuilfordCounty ›

More historic places in North Carolina

Browse all historic places in North Carolina.

View North Carolinahistoric sites ›

Conflict records

Explore 19,000+ military engagements across American history.

Browse US conflicts ›

North Carolina history

Colonial settlement, territorial period, and statehood narrative.

North Carolinahistory ›

Research the history near this site

An Aubrey US report for an address near Penn, William, High School will include this listing alongside battlefield records and other historical sources within your chosen radius.

Research your locationView a free sample report