Lexington in Lexington County, South Carolina — The American South (South Atlantic)
Oak Grove Colored School
This is the former site of Oak Grove Colored School, est. 1900 as a public school for African Americans. It was built on a lot previously owned by John Sewell (1831-1915), a Black farmer who lived nearby. He conveyed the land to school trustees in 1899 and later sold them materials for the school's construction. Upon opening, it was part of Lexington Co. School District No. 2 (Oak Grove).
Oak Grove was also called Sweet Gum Colored School and was housed in a wooden one-room building. Twenty-six students attended in 1900-01 with one teacher. In the mid-1930s around thirty-five students in grades 1-7 attended each day for a four-month term. The school closed in 1952 as part of the consolidation of Lexington Co.'s country schools. It burned down a few years later.
Erected 2024 by South Carolina Department of Archives and History, sponsored by John Sewell Foundation, Lexington County Museum, and S.C. African American Heritage Commission. (Marker Number 32-55.)
Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: African Americans • Education. In addition, it is included in the South Carolina Historical Markers
this page online
Location. 34° 0.472′ N, 81° 9.173′ W. Marker is in Lexington, South Carolina, in Lexington County. It is at the intersection of Cromer Road and English Drive, on the right when traveling west on Cromer Road. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 218 Cromer Rd, Lexington SC 29073, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is in the Midlands and in the Greater Columbia Area. It is also in the American South and specifically in the Deep South. Globally, it is in North America, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once the territory of the Mississippian Culture, one of the original Thirteen Colonies, one of the Confederate States of America, and the Antebellum South.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 4 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies: Zion Lutheran Church / Dreher's Fort (approx. 0.9 miles away); Delingo School (approx. 0.9 miles away); Mt. Hebron United Methodist Church / Temperance Hall (approx. 1.7 miles
Another marker is no longer nearby. Saluda Factory (was approx. 3.6 miles away but has been confirmed missing).
Credits. This page was last revised on January 25, 2026. It was originally submitted on January 25, 2026, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia. This page has been viewed 73 times since then. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on January 25, 2026, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia.
Editor’s want-list for this marker. Clear, daylight photos of the marker and its context. • Can you help?
