Orange Street School
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Why it's listed
Orange Street School is a two-story brick building in a traditionally black neighborhood of downtown Fayetteville, North Carolina. Built about 1915 as a public graded school, it has a utilitarian industrial form with Neo-Classical touches on its main facade, including an arched central entrance with keystone, brick pilasters and decorative brick panels. Inside, the original wooden floors, blackboards and a tambour door-wall that opens two classrooms into an auditorium survive. The school was built by James Waddell, a locally prominent black contractor. It is believed to be the oldest remaining public education building in the city for either race. From 1927 to 1940 its second floor held the forerunner of E. E. Smith High School, one of only two black high schools in the county. Later it served as a junior high and then as school board offices before being abandoned in 1983. A restoration association now owns it and plans a museum of public education.
Significance in brief: It is believed to be the oldest surviving public education building, for either race, in Fayetteville, and it is an important reminder of the history of black education in the city. From 1927 to 1940 it also housed the forerunner of E. E. Smith High School, one of only two black high schools in Cumberland County. It is also representative of early twentieth century school architecture in North Carolina.
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 87001597, listed September 22, 1987. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 500 blk. of Orange St., jct. of Orange and Chance Sts., Fayetteville |
|---|---|
| County | Cumberland County |
| Listed | September 22, 1987 |
| Reference number | 87001597 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | ca. 1915-1940 |
| Architect / builder | Waddell, James |
| Architectural style | Other: Utilitarian Industrial; Classical Revival |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Black, Education, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Vacant since 1983, deteriorated but retaining integrity; awaiting restoration by the non-profit foundation that owns it, which plans a museum of public education. |
| Acreage | 1.2 |
| Coordinates | 35.06419, -78.87999 (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.
Noted as vacant in the nomination. Nomination documents can be decades old; current status may differ. If you are considering buying an empty listed property, read the due-diligence checklist.
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 87001597.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q18217133
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.