Princeville School
Also known as: Princeville Graded Colored School; Princeville Town Hall
Why it's listed
Built between 1935 and 1940 on the south side of Mutual Boulevard in Princeville, North Carolina, this one-story weatherboarded building served as the town's elementary school until 1960. Princeville was incorporated in 1885 and is regarded as one of the first African American towns incorporated in the country. The school stands on the site of earlier segregated schools, the last of which was condemned as a firetrap. Although no Rosenwald Fund money paid for it, its eleven-bay form, recessed entrance and three-classroom plan adapt the Fund's published community school designs. A high brick pier foundation responds to repeated Tar River flooding, and exposed rafter tails give a modest Craftsman touch. After 1960 it became the town hall, gaining a fire station and a Head Start addition. Flooding from Hurricane Floyd in 1999 stripped away later finishes and revealed original floors, ceilings and a slate chalkboard. Restoration for local history exhibits is planned.
Significance in brief: It served as the elementary school for Princeville, the first municipality incorporated by African Americans, for about twenty-five years. It is a largely intact example of the plain frame schools built for Black children across the South, adapted from Rosenwald Fund standard plans though not funded by that Fund. Its original plan, ceilings, floors and chalkboard survive.
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 00001615, listed January 9, 2001. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | US 258, 0.3 mi. E of NC 64, Princeville |
|---|---|
| County | Edgecombe County |
| Listed | January 9, 2001 |
| Reference number | 00001615 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | late 1930s-1960 |
| Architectural style | Other: Craftsman-influenced |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Black, Education, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Vacant and not in use; the town government has moved to a new town hall, and the building is being restored after Hurricane Floyd flood damage in 1999, with plans for local history exhibits. |
| Acreage | 1.4 |
| Coordinates | 35.89027, -77.52673 (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 00001615.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7245038
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.