Siloam School
Why it's listed
Built about 1920 in northeast Charlotte on a Julius Rosenwald Fund plan, the one-story frame Siloam School is a single-classroom, gable-front building on brick piers, measuring about twenty-two by forty-three feet. It was constructed for African American children in the Mallard Creek district on a one-acre lot bought from F.E. Query in 1903. Its interior retains original pine tongue-and-groove floors and walls, and the original floor plan with a central vestibule, two cloak rooms, a large classroom and a rear industrial room remains largely intact. The building is regarded as an important local example of the standardized Rosenwald one-teacher school, which was funded by philanthropy rather than public money. It is also significant for its role in rural black education in the county before consolidation in the 1930s and 1940s. After the school closed, the Young family, who had attended and worked there, bought the property in 1951 and lived in it, and later it was converted to an auto repair shop.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the school is significant for its association with African American education in Mecklenburg County from about 1920 to about 1947, when it was built with Rosenwald Fund help rather than public funding. It is also presented as an example of standardized Rosenwald school architecture, with its original interior largely intact and as the county's sole surviving one-teacher Rosenwald school.
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 07001011, listed September 28, 2007. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | W side of Mallard Highlands Dr, Approx. 0.25 mi. S from jct. of John Adams Rd., Charlotte |
|---|---|
| County | Mecklenburg County |
| Listed | September 28, 2007 |
| Reference number | 07001011 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | ca. 1920-ca. 1947 |
| Architectural style | Other: Rosenwald Fund School |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture, Education, Black |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Building is secured with boards over openings; the east garage door is missing and the opening is boarded; the entrance stairs are in very poor condition; the property was used as a residence and later an automotive shop, and is being developed around with apartments. |
| Acreage | 1.1 |
| Coordinates | 35.33616, -80.73879 (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 07001011.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q21016184
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.