Elizabeth City State Teachers College Historic District
Also known as: State Colored Normal School at Elizabeth City; Elizabeth City
Why it's listed
Elizabeth City State Teachers College Historic District covers about nineteen acres of the Elizabeth City State University campus. It grew from the State Colored Normal School, created by the state in 1891 to train teachers for Black public schools in eastern North Carolina. The campus moved south of town in 1910-1912, when Lane and Symera halls were built. Later building campaigns in the 1920s and in 1937-1939, the latter largely funded by the Public Works Administration, added Moore, Bias, Butler and other buildings around a grassy quadrangle. Most are large brick Colonial Revival structures with slate roofs, symmetrical plans, and stone and wood classical detailing. A frame Craftsman-style Practice School, built in 1921 with Rosenwald Fund support, and a Principal's House complete the group. The district, with six contributing and five noncontributing buildings plus the quadrangle, was listed for its educational importance, its place in the city's Black heritage, and its architectural unity. Its period of significance runs from 1921 to 1943.
Significance in brief: The district is significant for its role in educating Black teachers in eastern North Carolina, as the State Colored Normal School founded in 1891 and later a teachers college. It is also significant for its cohesive Colonial Revival campus architecture and as part of the city's Black heritage. The Practice School is an early Rosenwald Fund-financed school building.
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 94000083, listed February 28, 1994. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | Roughly bounded by Parkview and Hollowell Drives, Elizabeth City |
|---|---|
| County | Pasquotank County |
| Listed | February 28, 1994 |
| Reference number | 94000083 |
| Resource type | District |
| Period of significance | 1921-1943 |
| Architect / builder | Stephens and Stephens of New Bern (later additions and plans) |
| Architectural style | Colonial Revival; Bungalow/Craftsman |
| Areas of significance | Architecture, Black, Education |
| Level of significance | State, Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Still used as a college campus; Butler Hall is vacant awaiting renovation. |
| Acreage | 19 |
| Coordinates | 36.28453, -76.21260 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
This is a historic district. Buildings within its boundary are either contributing (they add to the district's significance) or non-contributing. Owners of contributing income-producing buildings can claim the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit; homeowners should look at state credits. National Register districts impose no design review by themselves; a local historic district ordinance, if one exists, does (the difference explained).
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 94000083.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q19872960
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.