Kirkwood School
Also known as: Kirkwood Elementary School
Why it's listed
Kirkwood School is a former school campus of about 2.9 acres in the center of the Kirkwood neighborhood in east Atlanta. It grew over six decades. A frame Italianate school opened in 1906 and was later covered in brick veneer. A two-story Colonial Revival main building followed in 1922, with an auditorium added around 1924 and an eight-classroom wing in 1928. A ranch-house-style cafeteria was added in 1950 and a modern library with a butterfly roof in 1964. Several well-known Atlanta architects designed the buildings, which together show changing ideas in school design and education. The school also reflects community effort, since Kirkwood residents funded schools while the town was independent, before it was annexed to Atlanta in 1922. Its desegregation in 1965, followed by the neighborhood's change to a predominantly African American population by 1967, adds to its significance. In the late 1990s the buildings were rehabilitated as loft apartments, keeping many historic features and public spaces.
Significance in brief: The campus is significant for architecture as an example of Atlanta school design from the early 20th century through the post-World War II period, by several prominent Atlanta architects. It is significant for education as a neighborhood-built and later city-run school. It is also significant for social history and Black ethnic heritage because it reflects the desegregation of the school in 1965 and the neighborhood's shift to a predominantly African American population by 1967.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 02001045, listed September 19, 2002. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 138 Kirkwood Rd., Atlanta |
|---|---|
| County | DeKalb County |
| Listed | September 19, 2002 |
| Reference number | 02001045 |
| Resource type | District |
| Period of significance | 1906-1967 |
| Architect / builder | Bruce, Everett, and Hayes (architect); John F. Downing (architect); G. Lloyd Preacher (architect); J. W. Kreis (architect); Cunningham and Forehand (architect) |
| Architectural style | Late 19th and 20th Century Revivals: Colonial Revival; Modern Movement |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture, Education, Social History, Black |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Rehabilitated in the late 1990s as twenty-five loft apartments; the rehabilitation was certified in 1999 and the property retains a high level of historic integrity. |
| Acreage | 2.9 |
| Within district | Kirkwood Historic District |
| Coordinates | 33.75763, -84.32212 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
This is a historic district. Buildings within its boundary are either contributing (they add to the district's significance) or non-contributing. Owners of contributing income-producing buildings can claim the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit; homeowners should look at state credits. National Register districts impose no design review by themselves; a local historic district ordinance, if one exists, does (the difference explained).
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 02001045.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q85774578
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.