Virginia Department of Historic Resources Virginia Department of Historic Resources
For additional information, read the Nomination Form PDF
VLR Listing Date 06/14/2000
NRHP Listing Date 08/02/2000
NRHP Reference Number 00000891
The Peabody Building of the Peabody-Williams School, designed by Charles M. Robinson, a prolific architect of educational facilities across the state, opened in 1920 as the public high school for African American students in Petersburg. It was built during the period of segregated school systems. The Peabody Building housed the high school, while its twin, the Williams Building (destroyed by fire in 1967), housed the junior high school. It was the third building in Petersburg to serve as a high school for African American students, and the first built exclusively as a high school. In 1950, a new facility was constructed and an elementary school occupied the building until the 1960s. Today, the Peabody Building is the oldest extant school in Petersburg built for the education of African American children.
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
Updated: July 1, 2021
