Yonge Street School
Also known as: H.R. Butler School
Why it's listed
Built in 1911 at 89 Yonge Street in Atlanta, this two-story brick school was the first modern brick public school for Black students in the city. The original three central bays were joined by two flanking bays in 1940 that continued the design, plus a one-story wing in 1951. The center bay has an arched entrance with a fanlight, and rows of nine-over-nine windows light the main facade. The school came from a 1910 city bond issue in which only $38,200 of $600,000 for schools went to a new Black school. The lot was bought from Bishop Henry M. Turner. During its first school year, Selena Sloan Butler and principal Cora Finley organized the country's first Colored Parents and Teachers unit here. A state congress followed in 1921 and a national one in 1926, merging with the P.T.A. in 1970. The school was renamed H.R. Butler School in 1955. Formal operation ended after 1978-79, and it then served as a community center.
Significance in brief: It was the first modern brick public school built for Black students in Atlanta, funded through a 1910 bond issue. It was also where Selena Sloan Butler organized the first Colored Parents and Teachers unit in the United States, which later merged with the Parent-Teacher Association. The nomination treats it as important in Georgia social, political and Afro-American history and in Atlanta educational history.
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 80001079, listed January 24, 1980. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 89 Yonge St., Atlanta |
|---|---|
| County | Fulton County |
| Listed | January 24, 1980 |
| Reference number | 80001079 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1910-Present |
| Architect / builder | King & Walker, Architects; Acworth Construction Co., Builders |
| Areas of significance | Black, Education, Politics/Government |
| Level of significance | National |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Formal school operation ended after the 1978-79 school year; the building was then serving as a community center for the largely public-housing population nearby. |
| Acreage | 1.3 |
| Coordinates | 33.75183, -84.37508 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
For a publicly owned building or structure, listing mainly matters when federal funds, permits or licences are involved: projects then go through Section 106 review so effects on the property are considered. Listing also strengthens applications for preservation grants and, for leased income-producing uses, can enable the federal rehabilitation tax credit.
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 80001079.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.