Walnut Cove Colored School
Also known as: London School
Why it's listed
Built in 1921 on a corner lot in Walnut Cove, this one-story frame school has weatherboard siding, a clipped gable roof and a brick foundation. It contains five classrooms and was built with help from the Rosenwald Fund, using plans supplied by N. C. Newbold, the state's agent for Negro schools. The contractor was Dan River Lumber and Milling Company. It was the only Rosenwald school built in Stokes County and replaced a much smaller two-room building. For more than thirty years it provided grades one through ten for Black children from Walnut Cove and surrounding areas, some of whom walked as far as five miles. It was the educational center of the local Black community until a larger twelve-classroom school opened in 1952. The building was later converted to apartments, and it stood vacant at times. A community group now seeks to restore it as a community center and museum.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the school is significant for its association with the development of education for African American children in Stokes County. It was the only Rosenwald school built in the county and served as the black community's educational center for decades. It is also described as the finest school for African American children built in the county during the first quarter of the twentieth century.
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 95000161, listed February 24, 1995. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | Jct. of Brook and Dalton Sts., NW corner, Walnut Cove |
|---|---|
| County | Stokes County |
| Listed | February 24, 1995 |
| Reference number | 95000161 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1921-1944 |
| Architect / builder | Contractor - Dan River Lumber and Milling Co.; built to plans furnished by N. C. Newbold |
| Architectural style | Bungalow/Craftsman |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Education, Black |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Currently in fair condition and in an early stage of community-supported restoration; previously used for apartments and at times vacant. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 36.30336, -80.14394 (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 95000161.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q19946020
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.