"Tired-Looking" Previous Endangered Sites- the Carver School in Alexandria



In 2009, Preservation Virginia listed the Carver School in Alexandria’s Uptown/Parker-Gray Historic District to our Most Endangered Sites List.  The building, which sits in one of Alexandria’s historic African-American neighborhoods,  was once a nursery school for African-American children and later served as home to the William Thomas American Legion Post- named after the first African-American soldier from Alexandria to die in World War I. The building also served as a center of community and cultural activity for African-American Alexandrians during segregation.

Local residents discuss the Carver School

The structure was approved for demolition in 2010 by the local Board of Architectural Review and city council in 2010 but the decision for demolition was delayed when the  Greater Alexandria Preservation Alliance appealed to the Circuit Court of Alexandria to stop the demolition.

The owner of the school, William Cromley, agreed to put the schoolhouse on the market for two years in hopes that someone would purchase, repair and reuse it; but in those two years, no one has come forward and the agreement has now expired.

Local residents and members of the Greater Alexandria Preservation Alliance have now formed the Carver School-American Legion Post 129 Committee to formulate a new plan based on private donations and grants  in attempt to save the building. Earlier this year, the Alexandria City Council, passed a resolution supporting a plan to acquire the building; however, most council members have said repeatedly that the city will not buy the building.

Just recently, Cromley again agreed to put off the demolition to allow the  Greater Alexandria Preservation Alliance and the new committee more time to raise the money needed to save it; however, time is quickly running out for this unassuming, but important, piece of Alexandria’s history.