Approximately half the buildings that comprise what is now considered the Pocahontas Landmark Center complex are earmarked for demolition. This was originally the central public school for Black students in the county and for decades after that, a beloved middle school for thousands of children. Although the original 1937 building, the high school, has been saved and has an historic marker, other buildings in the complex also have historic relevance, albeit without a marker.
When the facility closed as a middle school, in 2018, the unused buildings fell into severe disrepair. A number of conversations with community members followed over several years, yet no clear decision was made on what to do with the space. The Christmas Mother program took up residence in the former cafeteria, although that program was forced to move out in late 2024. This is when questions about the fate of the buildings began to gain more public interest.
The school board received approval and funding support from the county’s Board of Supervisors in 2024. However, when the school board approached the BOS later, saying the demolition would cost considerably more than first believed, the BOS indicates that this was the first time they learned from project engineers that the buildings might not need to be demolished but could potentially be repaired.
