Savage, Dr. J. A., House
Also known as: The Albion Academy
Why it's listed
Franklinton's Savage House began as a one-story classroom or dormitory built around 1880 for the Albion Academy, a school for black students founded in 1878 by the Presbyterian Board of Missions for Freedmen. After Dr. John A. Savage became principal around 1895, he enlarged the building as his residence, adding a second floor, a kitchen ell, an octagonal bell tower and two-story wraparound porches between 1895 and 1905. The house is a frame building with a tin crossgable roof, weatherboard siding and a brick and stone pier foundation. The school grew to about 500 students at its peak and offered elementary through high school training for future teachers, farmers, nurses and mechanics. Savage led the academy until his death in 1933. The house is one of only two surviving buildings from the academy, which is regarded as one of the earliest and largest schools for black education in the region after the Civil War.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the house is one of only two remaining buildings marking the Albion Academy (1878-1933), a school for black elementary and high school students founded by the Presbyterian Board of Missions for Freedmen. It is associated with post-Civil War humanitarian efforts for black education and with Dr. Savage, the school's second principal and its primary leader throughout its operation.
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 80002834, listed September 22, 1980. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 124 College St., Franklinton |
|---|---|
| County | Franklin County |
| Listed | September 22, 1980 |
| Reference number | 80002834 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1880-1933 |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Black, Education, Social History |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Rented as a duplex and still owned by the family; the Albion Academy has deteriorated and the former dining hall is used by a church. |
| Acreage | 1.2 |
| Coordinates | 36.09877, -78.45725 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
National Register listing is honorary for a privately owned home: it does not by itself restrict what an owner may do with their own money, and it does not require public access. Restrictions come from local landmark or historic-district ordinances, which are separate (how they differ).
Owner-occupied houses are not eligible for the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit, which applies to income-producing buildings, but many states offer credits for homeowners. Listing also opens the door to preservation easements and to buying a plaque. Start with what listing means for homeowners, renovating a listed house and selling one.
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 80002834.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q21261651
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.