208-5001

Buckingham Training School

VLR Listing Date

12/11/2014

NRHP Listing Date

02/13/2015

NRHP Reference Number

15000013

The site of the Rosenwald-funded Buckingham Training School, in the Buckingham County town of Dillwyn, was constructed during Virginia’s era of racial segregation. Known today as Stephen J. Ellis Memorial Park, the site is significant for its direct association with the efforts of local African Americans to obtain education during the segregation era. From 1924 to 1954, the now-demolished training school functioned as the only high school for Blacks in Buckingham County. Emphasizing training, the school instructed male students in skilled trades, while female students learned homemaking, cooking, and child rearing skills. The property notably features a standing affiliated shop building, built in 1932 and one of only 11 Rosenwald-funded shops constructed in Virginia. Within these shops, male students were trained in agriculture and skilled trades. The Buckingham Training School closed in 1954, when a new, segregated Carter G. Woodson High School opened. Soon afterwards, the training school re-opened as Steven J. Ellis Elementary School, which closed in 1964.

Last Updated: June 16, 2024

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Abbreviations:
VLR: Virginia Landmarks Register
NPS: National Park Service
NRHP: National Register of Historic Places
NHL: National Historic Landmark

For additional information Read

Nomination Form

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