Delgrado School
Also known as: Washington Catlett School
Why it's listed
Built in 1914 to serve the Delgado Mill Village in Wilmington, this one-story red brick school replaced an earlier wood frame schoolhouse and was designed by architect James F. Gause Jr. Its Neo-classical Revival character is most visible in the symmetrical form and the front pavilion with Doric columns, pediment, triglyphs and a circular gable window. Additions followed in 1924 (an auditorium and central classrooms), 1938 (east and west wings, a Public Works Administration project) and 1953 (a kitchen), all compatible with the original design. Children were taught here until 1968, and the building later served as a special-needs school and an audiovisual warehouse. Its significance rests on its role in public education tied to the mill village and on its architecture, as one of only three surviving early public schools in New Hanover County with classical design. It is being rehabilitated as housing.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues it is locally significant under Criterion A for education, as a public school serving the Delgado mill village from 1914, and under Criterion C as one of only three surviving early public schools in the county with classical design. It was built as a smaller, stately school unlike the larger consolidated schools that followed.
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 01001135, listed October 20, 2001. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 1930 Colwell Ave., Wilmington |
|---|---|
| County | New Hanover County |
| Listed | October 20, 2001 |
| Reference number | 01001135 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1914-1951 (education); 1914-1938 (architecture) |
| Architect / builder | Gause, James F., Jr.; McCarl, Roger C.; Boney, Leslie N., Sr. |
| Architectural style | Neo-classical Revival |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture, Education |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Under rehabilitation as housing (1999-2000) after being left vacant for over twenty years following its use as a school and school system warehouse. |
| Acreage | 1.3 |
| Coordinates | 34.22947, -77.92233 (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 01001135.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q19461313
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.