Central School
Also known as: Bessemer City Elementary School
Why it's listed
Central School is a group of five brick and stone buildings on Washington Avenue in Bessemer City, North Carolina. The main building, a two-story, U-plan structure with Collegiate Gothic influences, was completed in 1929. A 1942 fire gutted it, leaving only the exterior walls, and it was rebuilt and reopened in 1946 as Bessemer City High School. A rough-cut stone gymnasium with Rustic Revival influences was built in 1933 by the Works Progress Administration. A brick home economics building followed in 1938-39, and an eight-room classroom building for primary grades was added in 1953, along with a small storage shed. Local significance rests on the school's role in public education for white students in Gaston County and on its auditorium and gymnasium as community gathering places. The period of significance runs from 1933 to 1957. The school operated until 2000, and the main building has since suffered neglect and vandalism.
Significance in brief: The complex is locally significant under Criterion A for Education. It reflects the push to improve public education for white students in Gaston County in the early to mid-twentieth century. Its auditorium and gymnasium also served as a community focal point for social and recreational activities.
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 07001374, listed January 9, 2008. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 317 Washington Ave., Bessemer City |
|---|---|
| County | Gaston County |
| Listed | January 9, 2008 |
| Reference number | 07001374 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1933-1957 |
| Architectural style | Late Gothic Revival, Classical Revival, Rustic Revival, No Style |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Education |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | No longer used as a school (the complex functioned as a school until 2000). The main building has suffered roof leaks, vandalism and neglect, the gymnasium remains in use, and the classroom building is used for book storage. |
| Acreage | 3 |
| Coordinates | 35.28490, -81.27648 (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 07001374.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q18705866
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.