Verden Separate School - Chickasha, OK - U.S. National Register of Historic Places on Waymarking.com

The Verden Separate School (also known as Separate School District 99) is the last remaining of its kind in Grady County. Very few remain in all of southwestern Oklahoma. Constructed as part of the legally mandated separate school system in Grady County, this one-room schoolhouse was used to educate African-American children. It originally stood on a farm near Verden, in Eastern Grady County. The building was constructed circa 1920 and was used to education grades 1 through 8, until it was closed in the spring of 1935. The students were then integrated into the Chickasha school system.

From 1935 until 2004 the building was used for farm purposes. The original door had been replaced with a larger opening and a sliding wood door. The building was discovered on the farm, purchased, and moved about 10 miles west to Chickasha in 2004. The site chosen is a quiet, rural-appearing area near the Rock Island right-of-way in eastern Chickasha. The building is located at 315 Ada Sipuel Avenue (named after a woman who was very influential in advancing the civil rights of African-Americans in Oklahoma and beyond).

At the time, the building was in very poor condition. Constructed of frame with a gabled roof, it had fallen into serious disrepair. Plans began to restore the building to as near to its original condition, as possible. It was situated on a poured concrete foundation. It was placed on the National Register in 2005.

At the time of this posting, the building has been re-sided with wood siding, and wood shingles added to the roof. The original five windows on the west side have been renovated with wood frame and hung sashes. The sliding farm door was removed and an original single-entry door added. A concrete parking lot and some concrete walkways have been poured and the inside has been restored to its early-day classroom contents. An original wood privy has also been relocated and stands in the yard

No signage is on the location, and it appears as if the renovation is still underway. It is very likely that this school will then be opened to the public to experience former schooldays. [A one-room schoolhouse in Edmond, OK has been renovated and is opened to the public on weekends, with summer day camps and other school education programs made available to local school children.]

Street address: 315 E. Ada Sipuel Avenue Chickasha, OK US 73018 County / Borough / Parish: Grady County Year listed: 2005 Historic (Areas of) Significance: Architecture/Engineering Periods of significance: 1900-1924, 1925-1949 Historic function: Education Current function: Vacant/Not in use Privately owned?: no Primary Web Site: [Web Link] Secondary Website 1: [Web Link] Season start / Season finish: Not listed Hours of operation: Not listed Secondary Website 2: Not listed National Historic Landmark Link: Not listed

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Date Logged Log User Rating   12/05/2018 The Snowdog visited it