Grimes School
Why it's listed
Built in 1935-1936 as a two-story brick school in Neo-Colonial Georgian style, the building stands on Hege Drive in Lexington and was designed by Winston-Salem architect William Roy Vallace. Its T-shaped plan gave each classroom generous light through large nine-over-nine sash windows, and the front entry features a broken pediment, Ionic columns, and an octagonal cupola. Funded by county bonds and a Public Works Administration grant, it opened in November 1936 with fourteen classrooms and an auditorium seating an estimated 500 to 600. It is regarded as the last school built in Lexington's 1920s and 1930s building program, which served local students for a generation. The school retains original hardwood floors, wood window sash, and metal exterior doors, giving it a high degree of integrity. Its architectural importance rests on its modern design for the period and on its status as one of two surviving pre-war brick schools in the town.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the school is locally significant for its role in the 1920s and 1930s school-building program in Lexington, being the last school built in that program. It is also significant as a state-of-the-art design by William Roy Vallace, and as one of only two pre-World War II brick schools in Lexington still standing. The building retains a high degree of integrity.
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 88002832, listed December 28, 1988. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | Hege Dr., Lexington |
|---|---|
| County | Davidson County |
| Listed | December 28, 1988 |
| Reference number | 88002832 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1936-1938 |
| Architect / builder | William Roy Vallace (architect); Ward and Thomason of Lexington (contractors) |
| Architectural style | Neo-Colonial Georgian |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Education, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Abandoned by the Lexington School Board in 1982, sold in 1988, and being converted for adaptive re-use as elderly housing. |
| Acreage | 3 |
| Within district | Lexington Residential Historic District |
| Coordinates | 35.83340, -80.25586 (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 88002832.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q18330963
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.