Massie Common School House - Savannah, Georgia
N 32° 04.244 W 081° 05.544
17S E 491279 N 3548279
Now known as the Massie Heritage Center, this school was housed in three nineteenth-century Greek Revival buildings on Calhoun Square and served as Savannah's first public school from 1856 until 1974.
Waymark Code: WM2ED3
Location: Georgia, United States
Date Posted: 10/19/2007
Views: 53
The nearby Massie School Historic Marker reads:
MASSIE COMMON SCHOOL HOUSE
Savannah's Cradle of Public Education
Massie School is the only remaining building of Georgia's oldest chartered public school system. Constructed in 1855-56 and opened for classes on October 15, 1856, the Greek Revival building is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Peter Massie, a Scottish planter in Glynn County, Georgia, in 1841, bequeathed $5,000 "for the education of the poor children of Savannah." This donation was invested "until a large enough sum could be accumulated to build a school."
In 1855, the City retained John S. Norris to design and build Massie School. The center portion, costing $9,000 is the original structure. The west wing was built in 1872 from plans by John B. Hogg, and in 1886 the east wing was erected.
The building was used briefly as a hospital by federal troops after Sherman's occupation of Savannah in December, 1864. Beginning May 1, 1865, it was operated for a few months as a school for the Freedmen, with teachers from the American Missionary Association.
Massie School became a unit of the Savannah - Chatham County Board of Public Education when that body was established in 1866. It was closed to regular classes in June, 1974, having educated Savannahians for 118 years.
Address:
207 East Gordon Street
Savannah, GA USA
31401
Web Site: [Web Link]
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