National Register of Historic Places

Voorhees College Historic District

Denmark, Bamberg County, South Carolina
Listed
January 21, 1982
Type
District
Period
Listed
Ref No.
82003830

About this property

The Voorhees College Historic District is a historic district encompassing the campus of Voorhees College in Denmark, South Carolina. Thirteen of the nineteen buildings are contributing properties. Voorhees College was started by Elizabeth Evelyn Wright as the Denmark Industrial School, modeled on the Tuskegee Institute, which Wright had attended. She kept close ties with her mentor, Booker T. Washington. The school was a late 19th-century effort to provide education to underserved black children in a rural area. As the school matured, it became a normal school and eventually a four-year accredited college. The architectural and historical significance of this district is that it represents sophisticated styles for an African-American college in the early twentieth century. Many of these buildings were constructed by its students. In addition, the college was a pioneer in African-American education and associated with the notable educator and founder, Elizabeth Evelyn Wright. Photographs of some of the buildings are available. On January 21, 1982, it was listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Booker T. Washington Hall: A brick building built in 1905 as a hospital. Blanton Hall: A 2½ story brick building built in 1914 as an administration building. It now houses faculty, administrative staff, and classrooms. Menafee Trades Building: A 2-story brick building built in 1907 from a gift from Ralph Voorhees as the Boys Trade building. It was named for Martin Menafee, the college treasurer and husband of founder Elizabeth Wright. St. Philip's Episcopal Chapel: a brick chapel built in 1935. Grave site and tombstone of Elizabeth Evelyn Wright. Bedford Hall: a brick building built in 1912 that was named for R.C. Bedford, a member of the first Board of Trustees and aide to Booker T. Washington.

Location

Denmark, Bamberg County, South Carolina
33.30573, -81.13112

Categories

BLACKEDUCATIONARCHITECTURESOCIAL HISTORY
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.

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Nearby Historic Sites

American Telephone and Telegraph Company Building
Industrial
1.6 mi
Denmark High School
Industrial
1.7 mi
Bamberg, Gen. Francis Marion, House
Industrial
4.8 mi
Bamberg City Hall
Industrial
5.6 mi
Bamberg Post Office
Industrial
5.7 mi

Questions about this property

When was Voorhees College Historic District listed on the National Register?

Voorhees College Historic District was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on January 21, 1982.

What type of historic resource is Voorhees College Historic District?

Voorhees College Historic District is classified as a district in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Voorhees College Historic District?

The period of significance for Voorhees College Historic District is recorded as the listed era.

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