A group of citizens gathered on Main Street in Fincastle on Wednesday, August 23, to honor and dedicate the historic marker noting the history of what was known throughout much of the 20th century as Academy Hill School.
Historic Fincastle Inc. President Lynne Bolton spoke briefly of the history of both the school and of the efforts to finally have a sign erected, and Botetourt Supervisor Steve Clinton shared his thoughts on the importance of the marker and the history it reflects.
The school, located on the “real” Academy Hill when it opened in the early 1900s, was where the African American children of Botetourt County went for an education. Prior to the opening of this school, these children were either educated in homes, or they had to find transportation to other areas outside of Botetourt to attend school. When Botetourt County decided to open a school, officials took over a building previously used as an all-white boys’ school on Academy Hill, and then later, they converted a county vehicle garage into a second building to expand what was offered to the attending students. The school did not have indoor plumbing, and the insulation was insufficient, but at last the students had a school in the area to attend.
The Academy Hill School continued in operation until 1958 when Central Academy School was constructed and welcomed these students to its new, modern facilities in 1959. The two former school buildings are now apartments, but they can be viewed from the historic marker when visitors look up and to their right at the hill above. One gentleman who was at the ceremony, Leroy Worrell, actually attended the Academy Hill School in 1958, its final year of operation.
Interested folks are encouraged to stop in the side parking spaces at the intersection of Main Street and Monroe Street and read the Academy Hill School historic marker for themselves.
~ HFI President Lynne Bolton