Grady, B. F., School
Why it's listed
Built in 1928 near Kornegay in northeast Duplin County, B. F. Grady School is a large two-story brick schoolhouse in the Neoclassical Revival style, designed by Wilmington architect Leslie Boney Sr. and built by H. W. Hudson Jr. It replaced about a dozen small rural schools during the statewide consolidation movement of the 1920s. The building has a three-bay classical portico, six-over-six wooden windows, an arched entrance with a fanlight, and an auditorium seating about 270. Additions in 1938, 1947 and 1950 were made to match the original design, and interior finishes remain original. Beyond classroom use, the school served as a community center, hosting draft registration, ration book distribution, Red Cross classes and veterans' farm training during the Depression and World War II. It is one of only two surviving consolidated schools of its kind in the county, which is why it was recognized for its local educational and architectural importance.
Significance in brief: The school is one of only two of the four consolidated schools built in Duplin County in the 1920s that survive. It is significant locally for education, as a large rural consolidation-era school that also served as a community center during the Depression and World War II. It is also significant for architecture as an intact, well-preserved example of the Neoclassical Revival style used for schools of that era.
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 94000085, listed February 24, 1994. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | N side NC 11, 0.3 mi. W of jct. with NC 111, Kornegay |
|---|---|
| County | Duplin County |
| Listed | February 24, 1994 |
| Reference number | 94000085 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1928-1943 |
| Architect / builder | Boney, Leslie Sr. (architect); Hudson, H.W. Jr. (contractor) |
| Architectural style | Classical Revival (described in the text as Neoclassical Revival) |
| Criteria |
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| Areas of significance | Education, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | The school was still serving grades one through eight, but the text says it will be closed when a new elementary school under construction beside it opens, and its future is highly uncertain. The interior is basically unaltered. |
| Acreage | 3 |
| Coordinates | 35.05578, -77.83124 (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 94000085.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q4833973
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.