Princeton Graded School
Why it's listed
Princeton Graded School is a six-classroom brick school built in 1925-1926 on West Edwards Street in Princeton, Johnston County, North Carolina. Its H-shaped plan has an auditorium in the central section, large grouped windows for natural light, and a shed-roof porch with Doric-style posts. It follows Rosenwald Fund Plan No. 6-A, though the county chose brick veneer instead of wood. Local African American citizens petitioned for the school and were required to contribute $1,000 in cash. J.P. Rogers of Smithfield built it. It was one of ten Rosenwald-aided schools in the county and one of two that survive. A 1952 cafeteria and classroom building stands beside it, and a small cemetery on the grounds was used from 1934 to 1960-1961 for burying African Americans excluded from the town cemetery. The school served the community until the mid-1950s, closed by 1973, and now stands vacant.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the school meets Criterion A for education and Black ethnic heritage, as one of ten Rosenwald-aided schools built in Johnston County and one of only two surviving. It served as an educational and social center for the African American community from 1925 to 1955. It also meets Criterion C as an example of Rosenwald school architecture, and the grounds include a cemetery used for Black burials.
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 05001139, listed October 4, 2005. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 601-611 W. Edwards St., Princeton |
|---|---|
| County | Johnston County |
| Listed | October 4, 2005 |
| Reference number | 05001139 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1925/1926-1955 |
| Architect / builder | Rogers, J.P. (Smithfield, N.C.), Builder |
| Architectural style | Other: Rosenwald School |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture, Education, Black |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Present function is listed as vacant; the school closed by 1973. The eastern section of the 1952 building has had its roof, ceilings and windows removed in an asbestos abatement program. |
| Acreage | 3.9 |
| Coordinates | 35.46997, -78.16822 (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 05001139.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q19987681
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.