Starkey School
Also known as: 80-348
Why it's listed
Starkey School is a small brick schoolhouse on Merriman Road in southwest Roanoke County, Virginia, in what was once the farming village of Starkey. The first school, a one-room frame building, dates to about 1894 and stood on land owned by J.G. Starkey. In 1915 it was replaced or rebuilt in brick, perhaps around the older structure, and became a two-room graded school with a hip roof and plaster interiors. In 1928 two tall brick wings with Flemish bond and cast-stone parapets were added, matching standardized school plans then used across the county. A low brick and concrete block infill followed in 1949. The school closed in 1961, and Roanoke County later used it as a senior center. It then sat vacant for years before new owners began restoration. It was listed for its architecture as a surviving graded school and for its role in local education during the consolidation of county schools.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the school is an architecturally important surviving graded schoolhouse from before the 1920s county school consolidation, with 1928 brick wings that follow standardized school plans (Criterion C). It also reflects about 67 years of service to an agricultural village and the later consolidation of Roanoke County's schools (Criterion A). It is described as the last vestige of the village.
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 01001513, listed January 24, 2002. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 6426 Merriman Rd., SW, Roanoke County |
|---|---|
| County | Roanoke (city and county) |
| Listed | January 24, 2002 |
| Reference number | 01001513 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1915 to 1951 |
| Architectural style | OTHER |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Education, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Closed as a school in 1961, later a senior citizens center, then vacant from 1986 until 1999. At the time of the nomination it housed a family business office and was being restored. |
| Acreage | 0.8 |
| Coordinates | 37.20199, -79.99890 (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 01001513.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q16900668
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.