122-1004

John T. West School

VLR Listing Date

12/01/1999

NRHP Listing Date

03/31/2000

NRHP Delisting Date

09/27/2006

NRHP Reference Number

00000315

VLR Delisting Date

06/19/2008

John T. West School was built in 1906 in the Huntersville section of Norfolk County. After the annexation of Huntersville into the city of Norfolk in 1911, the school became a combined elementary and high school. As such, it housed the first public high school classes for African Americans in the city of Norfolk. William T. Zepp, who designed five other schools in the Hampton Roads area, designed the original portion. A 1913 addition by the firm of Browne and Lehman doubled the size of the building. High school classes were moved from the building in 1916, and it served as an elementary school from that point until 1980 when the school was closed. The school was named for John T. West, the first superintendent of schools in Norfolk after the Civil War, who was instrumental in having schools built for children of all races. John T. West School was a vast improvement over most schools constructed for African American children in both size and material, and it served as a bellwether for African American educational institutions in the area.

The John T. West School was demolished in August of 2006.

Last Updated: February 2, 2024

Many properties listed in the registers are private dwellings and are not open to the public, however many are visible from the public right-of-way. Please be respectful of owner privacy.

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

For additional information Read

Nomination Form

122-6154

Granby Street Suburban Institutional Corridor

Norfolk (Ind. City)

122-6120

De Paul Hospital Complex Historic District

Norfolk (Ind. City)

122-6003

Downtown Norfolk Financial Historic District

Norfolk (Ind. City)