Southwest Raleigh in Wake County, North Carolina — The American South (South Atlantic)

Berry O'Kelly School

Photographed By Lawson Academy, February 10, 2020

1. Berry O'Kelly School Marker

Inscription. Begun 1910. Early Negro teacher training school. Named for benefactor. Later used as elementary school. Closed in 1966.

Erected 1968 by Archives and Highway Departments. (Marker Number H-77.)

Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: African Americans • Education. In addition, it is included in the National Register of Historic Places, the North Carolina Division of Archives and History, and the Rosenwald Schools series lists.

Location. 35° 47.548′ N, 78° 41.628′ W. Marker is in Raleigh, North Carolina, in Wake County. It is in Southwest Raleigh. Marker is on Method Road south of Richward Place, on the right when traveling south. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 520 Method Rd, Raleigh NC 27607, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 2 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies. Saint James African Methodist Episcopal Church (within shouting distance of this marker); Royal Baking Company (approx. 0.3 miles away); N.C. Colored State Fair (approx. 1.4 miles away); N.C. State Fair, 1873-1925 / State Exposition of 1884 / Camp Polk, 1918 (approx. 1.4 miles away); Memorial Belltower (approx. 1.7 miles

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away); North Carolina State University at Raleigh (approx. 1.7 miles away); Latta University Site: 1892-1922 (approx. 1.8 miles away); The Graves-Fields House (approx. 1.8 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Raleigh.

Regarding Berry O'Kelly School. Statement of Significance from the National Register nomination:

The Berry O'Kelly Historic District constitutes the institutional core of the Method community, a settlement of free African Americans established shortly after the Civil War. The district is significant at the local level under Criterion A in the areas of African American ethnic heritage and education; Criterion B for its association with Berry O'Kelly; and Criterion C for architecture. The district comprises St. James African Methodist Episcopal Church; the last extant buildings associated with the Berry O'Kelly School, including the agricultural building constructed with assistance from the Rosenwald Fund; and the grave of Berry O'Kelly and a marker to his memory. O'Kelly was born in slavery, but through hard work and talent became a prominent businessman whose philanthropy was connected to both the church and school.
Photographed By Duane and Tracy Marsteller, September 1, 2023

2. Berry O'Kelly School Marker
The agriculture building was constructed according to a standard plan provided by the Rosenwald Fund. St. James African Methodist Episcopal Church is a good example of Gothic Revival architecture. The district meets Criteria Consideration A as the church derives its significance from architectural distinction. The district also meets Criteria Consideration C as O' Kelly's store, his commercial building in downtown Raleigh, and his home have all been demolished; thus the grave, which is on church property, along with the school and church are the only known extant sites or buildings directly associated with his productive life. The district's period of significance is from 1923, the year the church, the earliest resource in the district, was built, to 1966 when the school was closed.

Also see . . .
1. Marker H-77 (NC Highway Historical Marker Program). North Carolina Office of Archives & History — Department of Cultural Resources (Submitted on February 12, 2020.)

2. Berry O'Kelly Historic District (PDF). National Register nomination for the district, which was listed in 2017. (Prepared by Mary Ruffin Hanbury and Jeffrey Harris, Hanbury Preservation Consulting; via National Park Service) (Submitted on September 21, 2023, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee.)

Berry O'Kelly School Agriculture Building image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Duane and Tracy Marsteller, September 1, 2023

3. Berry O'Kelly School Agriculture Building

The school used a Julius Rosenwald Fund grant toward constructing the building in 1926.

Register plaques image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Duane and Tracy Marsteller, September 1, 2023

4. Register plaques

The site is on the National Register of Historic Places and a Raleigh Historic Landmark.

Berry O'Kelly grave site image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Duane and Tracy Marsteller, September 1, 2023

5. Berry O'Kelly grave site

O'Kelly was buried in front of the school, on the grounds of St. James African Methodist Episcopal Church.

Credits. This page was last revised on September 25, 2023. It was originally submitted on February 11, 2020, by Lawson Academy of Greensboro, North Carolina. This page has been viewed 198 times since then and 18 times this year. Photos: 1. submitted on February 11, 2020, by Lawson Academy of Greensboro, North Carolina. 2, 3, 4, 5. submitted on September 21, 2023, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee. • Bernard Fisher was the editor who published this page.