Monterey High School
Also known as: Highland High School; Monterey Elementary School; Highland Elementary School; Highland Center; Vdhr 262-0082
Why it's listed
Built in 1922 on Spruce Street at the edge of Monterey, in Highland County, Virginia, this one-story school was based on the State Board of Education's standard eight-room plan. Its walls are garnet sandstone, locally called red rock, quarried on nearby Monterey Mountain, and a portico with paired Roman Doric columns marks the Classical Revival entrance. Classrooms surround a double-height auditorium and gymnasium lit by clerestory windows. L. W. Puffenbarger of Staunton won the construction contract for $33,400, and local residents raised $12,000 by subscription. The school opened in 1923 as a four-year high school, and by the 1957-58 school year it served all high school students in the county. After a new high school opened in 1963, the building became an elementary school until it closed in 1997. A nonprofit group bought it to serve as a community center, and it now houses county offices. It was listed for its architecture and its role in education.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the school is a surviving example of an early state-assisted education building in Virginia (Criterion C), retaining much original fabric and distinctive locally quarried garnet sandstone walls. It also meets Criterion A for education, reflecting the state's growing commitment to educating residents even in the mountains of western Virginia.
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 02000178, listed March 13, 2002. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | Spruce St., 0.5 mi. S of US 250, Monterey |
|---|---|
| County | Highland County |
| Listed | March 13, 2002 |
| Reference number | 02000178 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1922-1951 |
| Architect / builder | Virginia State Board of Education (Design); Puffenbarger, Luther Wayne (Builder) |
| Architectural style | Late 19th and 20th Century Revivals: Classical Revival |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Education, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Closed as a school in 1997 and sold to a nonprofit; it now houses the Highland Center, the county Chamber of Commerce and Arts Council offices. Described as in fair condition with deferred maintenance. |
| Acreage | 2 |
| Coordinates | 38.40971, -79.58666 (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 02000178.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q14712878
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.