060-0008

Pilot School

VLR Listing Date

12/14/2023

NRHP Listing Date

02/07/2024

NRHP Reference Number

SG100009956

Pilot School, in the Little River area of Montgomery County, provided free education to local White students from its construction in 1921 through 1963 as part of Virginia’s public school system. Located in the unincorporated community of Pilot, the school is a four-room building that supported three teachers serving students from kindergarten through 9th grade. Built in the vernacular architectural style, the two-story wood-frame school possesses a strong rectangular massing and a covered entry porch. The interior consists of a two-room plan with a front transverse passage that originally supported two identical staircases at each side of the front entrance. A partition could be lowered between the two rooms on the upper level to separate classes. During the school’s years of operation, students were typically taught a variety of subjects including reading, writing, arithmetic, and geography. The last class was held in 1962, and in 1963 the county sold the property to Lewin M. Poff, who then deeded it to the Pilot Community Center to be used for family reunions, ball games, and other social functions. Residents worked together to save the building and revive the spirit of the Pilot community in 2019. At the time of its listing in the registers, the arts outreach organization WVarts used the building to serve and educate local citizens about Pilot as well as Floyd and Montgomery counties. Pilot School is the only surviving public school from the early 20th century in Montgomery County. 

Last Updated: February 14, 2024

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Abbreviations:
VLR: Virginia Landmarks Register
NPS: National Park Service
NRHP: National Register of Historic Places
NHL: National Historic Landmark

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