PRESERVATION VIRGINIA

Carver Nursery School/William Thomas Post 129 Listed on Preservation Virginia’s Most Endangered Historic Sites List The Carver Nursery School/William Thomas Post 129 at 224 North Fayette Street in Alexandria has been named by Preservation Virginia as one of the ten sites that is threatened or endangered for 2010. This historic structure was funded through the National Defense Housing Act of 1941, with further support from State agencies. It was owned initially by the City of Alexandria and operated by the City school system as a segregated nursery and school for African American children, particularly those whose parents were in the military service or were employed in work supporting defense efforts. The School resembles “mail order” buildings common in the wartime years, but now nearly all are vanished. Probably its parts were delivered to the site by rail car, as there was a railroad line going past the property in the 1940s. The school was constructed in August of 1943. Preservation Virginia maintains a list of places, buildings and archaeological sites across the Commonwealth that face imminent or sustained threats to their integrity or in some cases their very survival. The list is issued annually to raise awareness of Virginia's historic sites at risk from neglect, deterioration, lack of maintenance, insufficient funds, inappropriate development or insensitive public policy. The listing is intended to bring attention to the threats described and to encourage citizens and organizations to continue to advocate for their protection and preservation. The Carver School/William Thomas Post building is virtually unaltered from the time of construction and maintains its original Craftsman style of architecture features, including its exposed rafter ends, asphalt shingles, asbestos siding, all original doorways and openings, and original six-over-six and twelve-over-twelve double-hung windows. The brick foundation, front and side steps, canopies over the doorways, and two massive chimneys are all original. Although in somewhat deteriorating condition, the simple vernacular building is fundamentally structurally sound and not beyond repair. The original construction drawings exist and provide a very accurate guide for complete restoration of the building. The interior has not been substantially modified from the original plans, and could be restored to show the areas where the Nursery School students kept their cots, where the meals were cooked, etc. The Carver Nursery School is one of the most significant historical structures remaining in Alexandria’s formerly segregated Uptown/Parker-Gray Historic District. It was listed on the Virginia Landmark Registry in 2009 and the National Register of Historic Places in January or 2010. It is the last remaining building in Alexandria that once housed a segregated school. Its name was presumably that of scientist George Washington Carver, one of the most prominent African Americans of his time, credited as the inventor of peanut butter, who died the year before the School was constructed. In its years as the American Legion Post, the building served as a center of community and cultural activity for African American Alexandrians during the era of racial segregation. The William Thomas Post 129 was named for the first African-American soldier from Alexandria to die in World War I. It was established after African Americans were told that, because of the color of their skin, they could not join the Alexandria branch of the American Legion, even though they had fought side by side during the war. For many years, it remained the only American Legion Post in Alexandria that admitted African American military veterans. A threat to The Carver Nursery School/William Thomas Post 129 is very imminent. The owner of the property applied for a demolition permit three weeks after purchasing the property. The Parker Gray BAR and City Council, by divided votes, already have approved the permit to demolish the building. Those decisions have been appealed to the Circuit Court of Alexandria, and an initial trial date is set for November 2010. Until the appeals have been concluded, the owner is prevented by law from demolishing the School. However, even if the appeal is successful and the permit to demolish is revoked, under Alexandria ordinances the owner could by other means seek to demolish the building after approximately one year, if certain procedures are followed and there is no effort by others to help preserve the building. The owner has proposed demolishing the building to build an eight unit condominium building in its place. The Greater Alexandria Preservation Alliance has been working with Citizens, members of the Legion, and many prominent African Americans in Alexandria, including Ferdinand Day, Carlton Funn, Lillea Finklea, Jim Henson and Randy Stevens to save this building. We would also like to thank Gwen Day Fuller, a student at the Carver Nursery School. We have had support and assistance from The National Trust for Historic Preservation, Preservation Virginia, The Society for the Preservation of Black History, The Historic Alexandria Foundation, The Alexandria Archeology Commission, The Historic Alexandria Resource Commission and the Alexandria Historical Restoration and Preservation Commission. Also, Sonia Ingram from Preservation Virginia was a great help. We must save this building. If history means anything in Alexandria, we must save this building. If we believe that African American History should be treated with equal protection as Alexandria’s white history, we must save this building. If we want Alexandria to continue to be a place to study and learn from our history, we must save this building. If we want Alexandria to continue to be a prominent example of preserving history to communities across the nation we must save this building. If we want to increase the number of sites residents and visitors will want to come visit, we must save this building. If we want to preserve a center of the African American community in Parker Gray, we must save this building. If we want to be an example to our children, like the children who use this playground every day, that we care enough to preserve the past for their future, we must save this building. The Carver Nursery School can be many things, but if it is demolished it will no longer tell us the story of its existence, teach our children, or contribute to this great corner, the heart of the Parker Gray Community. Please Contact: Boyd Walker The Greater Alexandria Preservation Alliance 1307 King St. Alexandria VA 22314 703-732-7269