{"nrhp_refnum":"05001227","name":"Fairmount School","other_names":["127-0308"],"category":"building","location":{"address":"1501 N. 21st St.","address_restricted":false,"city":"Richmond (Independent City)","county":"Richmond (city and county)","state":"VA","lat":37.54543821400006,"lon":-77.41268175699997,"geom_source":"nps_gis"},"listed_date":"2005-11-09","is_nhl":false,"nhl_designated_date":null,"areas_of_significance":["Education","Architecture"],"significance_levels":["local"],"summary":{"what_it_is":"Fairmount School is a two-story brick school over a high basement at 1501 North 21st Street in the north Church Hill area of Richmond, Virginia, built about 1895 for Henrico County's Fairmount District. A 1908-09 addition by Albert F. Huntt extends to the north.","why_significant":"The nomination argues the school is locally significant under Criterion A for its link to the development of public education in Richmond, including the 1958 school realignment under massive resistance. Under Criterion C it is a characteristic brick school type with Second Empire and Gothic Revival details, and it includes the work of architect Albert F. Huntt. It retains a high degree of exterior and interior integrity.","narrative":"Built about 1895 at the corner of 21st and T Streets, this two-story brick school with a raised basement was first part of Henrico County's Fairmount District and joined Richmond when the district was annexed in 1906. Mansard-roofed towers with decorative slate patterns mark its south and west sides. As enrollment grew, a long brick addition designed by Albert F. Huntt was built in 1908-09 with matching details. Later additions from 1915-16 and 1950 were removed in the 1980s. The school was renamed Helen Dickenson School in 1924 and in 1958 became an African American school during Richmond's massive resistance era, when students were shifted to preserve segregation. It closed in 1979, and in 1983-84 it was rehabilitated as housing for elderly and handicapped residents, retaining its corridors, brick walls, towers and windows. It was listed for its role in local education and its architecture.","period_of_significance":"1895-1955","architect_builder":"Albert F. Huntt (1908-9 addition)","architectural_style":"Simplified Second Empire with Gothic Revival details","criteria":["A","C"],"status_note":"Rehabilitated in 1983-84 and currently used as multiple dwellings (housing for elderly and handicapped residents); further rehabilitation with tax credits is planned.","vacant_flag":false,"machine_generated":true,"model":"claude-sonnet-5-5","prompt_version":"v1.0-2026-10-29","generated_at":"2026-10-29 02:52:03.077959-05","source_pdf":"https://s3.amazonaws.com/NARAprodstorage/opastorage/live/26/6789/41678926/content/electronic-records/rg-079/NPS_VA/05001227.pdf"},"photo":{"url_800":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/media/05001227/662371f34b-800.webp","url_1600":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/media/05001227/662371f34b-1600.webp","licence":"CC BY 3.0","author":"Morgan Riley","credit_html":"<a href=\"https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Fairmount_School_Richmond_Va.JPG\" rel=\"noopener\">Morgan Riley</a>, <a href=\"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0\" rel=\"license noopener\">CC BY 3.0</a>, via Wikimedia Commons","source_page":"https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Fairmount_School_Richmond_Va.JPG"},"district":{"nrhp_refnum":"08000075","name":"Fairmont Historic District","url":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/districts/virginia/fairmont-historic-district-08000075/"},"sources":{"nps_snapshot_date":"2026-05-22","nara_catalog":"https://catalog.archives.gov/id/41678926","wikipedia":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fairmount_School","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q16836169"},"indexable":true,"url":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/virginia/richmond/fairmount-school-05001227/"}