Academy Street School
Why it's listed
Academy Street School is a two-building public school complex in the center of Salem, Virginia. The main building dates from 1890 and a brick annex was added around 1903. A plain connecting hyphen was added in the mid-20th century, and a small power plant stands behind. The 1890 building has Flemish-bond brick walls, pilaster strips, recessed brick panels, bracketed cornices and a projecting three-story entrance tower. Inside, both buildings keep closed-string stairs, matchboard wainscot, blackboards, cast-iron heating grates and hardwood floors. The annex has unusual folding doors between second-floor classrooms. The school was built on the site of a pre-Civil War private academy for girls, after the local school board borrowed $6,000 in 1887. Its construction followed increased state school funding and the railroad-driven growth of the Roanoke Valley. Spacious, steam-heated classrooms set it apart from earlier one-room schoolhouses. It served pupils until 1977, when it was abandoned, and restoration was then being planned.
Significance in brief: It is presented as a monument to early public school education in southwestern Virginia and as an architectural landmark in Salem. The 1890 school replaced an earlier female academy after state funding for schools increased and the Norfolk and Western Railroad brought a building boom. Its Victorian design, with decorative brickwork, bracketed cornices and an entrance tower, contrasted with earlier one-room wooden schoolhouses.
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 81000648, listed October 1, 1981. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | Academy St., Salem (Independent City) |
|---|---|
| County | Salem |
| Listed | October 1, 1981 |
| Reference number | 81000648 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1800-1899, 1900- (specific dates 1890; ca. 1903) |
| Architectural style | Victorian |
| Areas of significance | Education, Architecture |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | The school was abandoned in 1977 for newer quarters. Its openings are covered with plywood, and the Salem Historical Society was planning a restoration. |
| Acreage | 1.3 |
| Coordinates | 37.29345, -80.06132 (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 81000648.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q16157922
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.