National Register of Historic Places

Jefferson School, Carver Recreation Center, and School Site

Charlottesville (Independent City), Charlottesville County, Virginia
Listed
February 15, 2006
Type
Building
Period
Industrial
Ref No.
06000050

About this property

The Jefferson School is a historic building in Charlottesville, Virginia, United States. It was built to serve as a segregated high school for African-American students. The school, located on Commerce Street in the downtown Starr Hill neighborhood, was built in four sections starting in 1926, with additions made in 1938–39, 1958, and 1959. It is a large two-story brick building, and the 1938–1939, two-story, rear addition, was partially funded by the Public Works Administration (PWA). This building operated from 1926 to 1951 as Charlottesville's first high school for black students. In 1951, it became an elementary school for black students. In 1958, Jefferson School students sought application to local white-only schools, sparking the city government to join the statewide massive resistance movement against school integration. After serving many uses over the following decades, it reopened in 2013 as the Jefferson School City Center, a multi-use facility that houses the Jefferson School African American Heritage Center, the Carver Recreation Center, and local community organizations.

Location

233 Fourth St., NW
Charlottesville (Independent City), Charlottesville County, Virginia
38.03427, -78.48678

Categories

ARCHITECTUREBLACKEDUCATIONPOLITICS/GOVERNMENTHISTORIC - NON-ABORIGINAL
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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Overview
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The Land
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Geology
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Conflict & War
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The Civil War
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The Soldiers
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Native Heritage
The Native nations who held this land, mapped across time from before European contact to today.
Settlement
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The Community
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Rivers & Rail
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Notable People
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Literature
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Spotlight
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Nearby Historic Sites

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Pitts-Inge
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Questions about this property

When was Jefferson School, Carver Recreation Center, and School Site listed on the National Register?

Jefferson School, Carver Recreation Center, and School Site was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on February 15, 2006.

What type of historic resource is Jefferson School, Carver Recreation Center, and School Site?

Jefferson School, Carver Recreation Center, and School Site is classified as a building in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Jefferson School, Carver Recreation Center, and School Site?

The period of significance for Jefferson School, Carver Recreation Center, and School Site is recorded as the industrial era.

Can I research the history near Jefferson School, Carver Recreation Center, and School Site?

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