Today, Historic Athens and Clarke County School District committed to a new strategic partnership for the West Broad Street School. The new agreement will allow Historic Athens, a local 52-year old non-profit focused on historic preservation, to advise and consult the school district as CCSD prepares plans to develop a site that educated African-American students from the late 19th century through integration.
“The West Broad Street School is one of the most critical historic parts of our community,” says Historic Athens Executive Director, Tommy Valentine. “The structures and stories tied to that historic site deserve to be preserved and honored according to current and well-accepted practices on historic preservation. We are excited to work with CCSD to ensure that visitors to the location can continue to recognize and appreciate the living history that surrounds them.”
As part of the new agreement, both parties have expressed a mutual understanding that the look and design of the overall site are likely to change, upon board approval. Clarke County School District has been taking steps over recent months to re-envision the site, with recent plans taking shape around a new Pre-K and School-Based Health Clinic facility. While CCSD staff have indicated excitement over the potential uses for the site, Historic Athens has been invited to ensure that the development process honors the contribution and legacy of West Broad Street School.
Current details include plans to create installations and exhibitions on the history of the West Broad Street School and segregated education in Clarke County as part of CCSD’s rehabilitation of the Minor Street building. Together, CCSD and Historic Athens will then work to examine what additional work can be done to preserve and honor additional historic assets, with special attention being given to the Campbell Lane building, a representation of the Equalization era of school architecture. The two groups will work to interpret the contribution and legacy of West Broad Street school throughout the new site design, engaging historians, artists, and the community to weave the history throughout this renewed campus., Historic Athens will advise CCSD on how to conduct a proper HABS-HAER report, or “document and destroy” mitigation, for any historic structures ultimately identified for demolition.
“The newly formed working relationship between CCSD and Historic Athens is the first of many community partnerships that will be formed to ensure stakeholder input on the potential West Broad Campus project”, stated the Clarke County School District Superintendent, Dr. Demond Means. The West Broad Campus proposal will be acted on by the CCSD Board of Education at the September 12, 2019 Board Meeting.
“The West Broad Street School helps us understand that the children - and the history - of our community have not always received equal attention,” noted Valentine. “As a CCSD-graduate, I am very excited about this opportunity to work with the school district to record that history, set us on a path for a different future, and open a dialogue about future collaboration between our organizations.”
About Historic Athens: Historic Athens is a 501(c)(3) non-profit working to celebrate and conserve community heritage in Athens, Georgia. For over 50 years, the organization has worked to improve historic preservation and heritage conservation in the Athens area. Founded as Athens-Clarke Heritage Foundation in 1967.
About Clarke County School District: With 21 schools and more than 13,000 students, the Clarke County School District offers students both diversity and a culture of academic excellence. Based in Athens, Georgia, CCSD serves Clarke County, which includes the communities of Athens and Winterville, and part of Bogart.