Wynnton Academy
Also known as: Wynnton School Library; Red Brick Schoolhouse
Approximate location: the National Park Service places this pin arbitrarily within the property, not at a surveyed point (stated accuracy ±12 m).
Why it's listed
Built in 1843 as a one-room school for boys, the Wynnton Academy, long known as the Red Brick Schoolhouse, still serves students today as the library of Wynnton School in Columbus, Georgia. Local citizens erected it, and a cornerstone on the east front corner records that fact. The brick walls are now stuccoed and painted white, though the original porch remains, and the door, doorknob, doorstep and window panes are said to date to 1843. Inside, the brick walls are exposed. The school opened on June 17, 1843, with J. M. Goodale as first teacher, and a Female Academy was built nearby. It later operated as Wynnton College, served as an armory for military students, and became part of the city school system when Wynnton was annexed in 1925. It was a lunchroom until 1948, then the library. It is generally regarded as the oldest building in continuous school use in Georgia.
Significance in brief: The building is generally considered the oldest in continuous use as a school facility in Georgia. It opened in 1843 as a boys' academy built by local citizens and later became part of the public school system. The area of significance is education.
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 72000395, listed April 11, 1972. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 2303 Wynnton Rd., Columbus |
|---|---|
| County | Muscogee County |
| Listed | April 11, 1972 |
| Reference number | 72000395 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1843 |
| Areas of significance | Education, Social History |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | In use as the library of Wynnton School since 1948; condition marked good, with original door, doorknob, doorstep and window panes reported from 1843. |
| Acreage | 4.5 |
| Within district | Wynn's Hill-Overlook-Oak Circle Historic District |
| Coordinates | 32.46589, -84.97429 (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 72000395.
- 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.