Cartersville in Cumberland County, Virginia — The American South (Mid-Atlantic)

Hamilton High School

Cartersville, Virginia

— Civil Rights in Education Heritage Trail® —

Hamilton High School CRIEHT Marker image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Bernard Fisher, June 6, 2010

1. Hamilton High School CRIEHT Marker

Inscription. Click to hear the inscription.

Parents in the Cartersville area of Cumberland County met in 1909 to discuss the need for a centralized high school to replace the one-room schools serving white children in the area at that time. The county Superintendent of Schools led the community in drives to raise funds for the new school, and S. W. Parker gave five acres of land on which to build it. By 1910 the new Hamilton High School opened, with 112 students enrolled. Seven instructors taught basic courses, with a teacher education program added in 1914. In 1920 the school gained an auditorium and two additional classrooms, and in 1930 a home economics building and an agricultural building were built. After the county’s schools consolidated in 1944, Hamilton became an elementary school. In 1964, all of the county’s white elementary schools were consolidated again at Cumberland High School. Today, what remains of Hamilton High School has been converted to homes and storage space.

Erected by Civil Rights in Education Heritage Trail®. (Marker Number 6.)

Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists:

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African Americans • Civil Rights • Education. In addition, it is included in the Civil Rights in Education Heritage Trail series list. A significant historical year for this entry is 1909.

Location. 37° 39.479′ N, 78° 7.57′ W. Marker is in Cartersville, Virginia, in Cumberland County. Marker can be reached from the intersection of Cartersville Road (Virginia Route 45) and Columbia Road (Virginia Route 690), on the right when traveling south. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Cartersville VA 23027, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 6 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies. Campaign of 1781 (approx. 0.4 miles away); Rosenwald School at Cartersville (approx. half a mile away); Clifton (approx. 0.7 miles away); a different marker also named Campaign of 1781 (approx. 2.3 miles away); Lee's Stopping Place (approx. 2.6 miles away); Derwent (approx. 4.4 miles away); Muddy Creek School (approx. 4.8 miles away); Elk Hill (approx. 5.9 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Cartersville.

More about this marker. On the left are two photos with the captions:
"(Right) Members of the 1920

1920 Boys Basketball Team at Hamilton High School image. Click for full size.

2. 1920 Boys Basketball Team at Hamilton High School

Boys Basketball Team at Hamilton High School. (From top left) Hay Smith, William Powell Holman, Lawrence Garrett, Grafton Blanton and Garland Blanton."
"(Below) Hamilton High School opened its doors in 1910 with Mr. Blake Newton as the first principal.

On the right is a photo with the caption, "(Far Right) The road leading to Hamilton High School."

Basketball team photo and photo below courtesy of Miss Wortley Holman (who was both student and teacher at the school). Road to Hamilton High School photo courtesy of The Jackson Davis Collection, Special Collections Department, University of Virginia Library.

Hamilton High School opened its doors in 1910 with Mr. Blake Newton as the first principal. image. Click for full size.

3. Hamilton High School opened its doors in 1910 with Mr. Blake Newton as the first principal.

The road leading to Hamilton High School. image. Click for full size.

4. The road leading to Hamilton High School.

Hamilton High School Marker image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Bernard Fisher, June 6, 2010

5. Hamilton High School Marker

Hamilton High School image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Bernard Fisher, June 6, 2010

6. Hamilton High School

Civil Rights in Education Heritage Trail® Map image. Click for full size.

7. Civil Rights in Education Heritage Trail® Map

Appomattox County
1. Winonah Camp/Mozella Price Home
2. Carver-Price School
3. Education in 1800's Rural Virginia

Buckingham County
4. One-Room Schoolhouse
5. Carter G. Woodson Birthplace

Cumberland County
6. Hamilton High School
7. Rosenwald School at Cartersville
8. Jackson Davis

Amelia County
9. Russell Grove Presbyterian Church and School
10. Mrs. Samantha Jane Neil

Chesterfield County
11. Virginia State University

Petersburg
12. Earliest Known Public High School for African Americans in Virginia
13. McKenney Library
14. The Peabody-Williams School

Dinwiddie County
15. Southside Virginia Training Center
16. Rocky Branch School
17. Early Education in Dinwiddie County

Nottoway County
18. Blackstone Female Institute
19. Mt. Nebo Church
20. Ingleside Training Institute

Lunenburg County
21. The People's Community Center
22. St. Matthew's Lutheran Church Christian Day School

Prince Edward County
23. Prince Edward County Public Schools
24. R. R. Moton High School
25. Farmville Female Seminary Association
26. First Baptist Church
27. Beulah AME Church
28. Hampden-Sydney College

Charlotte County
29. Southside Virginia Community College - John H. Daniel Campus
30. Charlotte County Library
31. Salem School

Halifax County
32. Meadville Community Center
33. Mary M. Bethune High School
34. Washington-Coleman Elementary School
35. Mizpah Church

Mecklenburg County
36. Thyne Institute
37. Boydton Academic and Bible Institute

Brunswick County
38. Southside Virginia Community College - Christanna Campus
39. Saint Paul's College
40. Hospital and School of the Good Shepherd
41. Fort Christanna

Credits. This page was last revised on August 14, 2022. It was originally submitted on June 7, 2010, by Bernard Fisher of Richmond, Virginia. This page has been viewed 1,895 times since then and 192 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7. submitted on June 7, 2010, by Bernard Fisher of Richmond, Virginia.