Jefferson School
Also known as: VDHR#105-0171, East Elementary; Clinton Forge Elementarty East
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Why it's listed
Jefferson School is a two-story brick school on A Street in Clifton Forge, Virginia. The original building dates to 1926 and has a symmetrical Classical Revival facade with pilasters, a corbelled cornice, and ribbons of small-paned windows around an arched entrance. A two-story addition of 1952, containing classrooms and a gymnasium with stage, was built in a restrained Art Deco manner. Inside, the 1926 section keeps tin ceilings, beaded-board wainscoting, chalkboards, and transoms. The school educated the town's African-American students from 1926 until desegregation in 1965, and it was the fourth school built for them. Parents and teachers pressed for design changes, including a larger assembly room suited to indoor sports. The building was listed for its role in local education and Black ethnic heritage, set against the growth of a railroad town. It is now vacant, and a rehabilitation was planned.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the school is significant under Criterion A in Education and Black Ethnic Heritage at the local level. It served African-American students in Clifton Forge from 1926 until desegregation in 1965, and was the fourth school built for them. It reflects the community's commitment to education during the town's railroad-driven growth.
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 10001061, listed December 28, 2010. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | A Street, Clifton Forge |
|---|---|
| County | Alleghany County |
| Listed | December 28, 2010 |
| Reference number | 10001061 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1926-1960 |
| Architect / builder | 1926 building: School Building Service of the State Department of Education (VA), architect; J.R. Campbell, contractor/builder. 1952 addition: Fleming R. Hurt and Charlie D. Hurt, Jr., Architects |
| Architectural style | Classical Revival |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Education, Black |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Current function is listed as vacant/not in use; eight non-contributing modular units on site were slated for removal as part of an upcoming rehabilitation. |
| Acreage | 1.2 |
| Within district | Clifton Forge Historic District |
| Coordinates | 37.81769, -79.81897 (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 10001061.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q14712626
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.