West Warm Springs

West Warm Springs. . , The community of West Warms Springs was settled in the 1870s by Black residents who purchased tracts of land on the west side of Little Mountain. A road that extended over the mountain connected West Warm Springs with the pools. Many of the early residents worked at the resort hotel and bath houses, while others worked as independent craftsmen and skilled laborers. , By 1890, the community contained about 20 houses. Homes stood in small family groupings on the slopes and flat terraces of the Little Mountain foothills. The location of the houses along the winding neighborhood roads reflects a response to the hilly terrain. Although many of the early homes have been replaced, the general layout of the area remains intact. Descendants of the founding families continue to live in West Warm Springs and have been instrumental in preserving its history. , Two historic churches, John Wesley Methodist Episcopal Church (1873) and Mount Pisgah Baptist Church (1876), still stand as representatives of the first decades of the community. The original Mount Pisgah log church was converted for use as a school for Black students and named the Jones School in honor of James William Jones, who donated land for the building. Children attended the school into the 1930s, when the Union Hurst School was constructed. , West Warm Springs is an important reminder of the strength and persistence of the Black citizens in the years following the Civil War. From their efforts, a distinct community arose that was both separate from Warm Springs, as well as part of it. , Separate School for Black Students. In 1925, the Union Hurst School (at left), also known as the Switchback School, was built near Hot Springs. The building was erected with assistance from the Rosenwald School Building Fund. Julius Rosenwald, president of Sears, Roebuck, and Company, founded the fund to assist southern localities with school construction for Black students. At the time, schools were racially segregated. Rosenwald was heavily influenced by the educational work of Booker T. Washington, who was born in Franklin County, Virginia. The Union Hurst School no longer stands, but the T.C. Walker School, listed on the National Register of Historic Places, was another Rosenwald school built in 1929. The school, now a residence, is located near the village of Millboro, east of Warm Springs. Both schools closed in 1965 when Bath County integrated its schools. , Church House. Mac Church (1853-1930s) and his children stand in front of their home in West Warm Springs. The dwelling was an example of an early log house built about 1870. The Jones House, located on the hill above, was a two-story frame dwelling built around 1880. These houses stood north of Route 39 near the site of Mt. Pisgah Baptist Church. Neither house is extant. , Webb’s Store. Commercial buildings in West Warm Springs included Webb’s Store, which is a notable example of an early-20th century country store and is known as a business that built trusted relationships with the Black clientele. The store was an important community gathering spot, and residents often met on the stone steps and wall at the front of the store. The store has been renovated - and reflects much of its historical appearance. , Harry Webb ran Webb’s Store in West Warm Springs after his father’s death. He is pictured here on the front steps of the store with a gentleman presumed to be his father-in-law.