Established in 1917, the Rosenwald School Project emerged as an endeavor spearheaded by Booker T. Washington and Julius Rosenwald, aimed at aiding Black students confronting segregation in the Southern United States. Operating until 1932, these institutions rallied educators, administrators, and local members to establish sanctuaries of learning for Black children within a racially divided society.
By the project’s conclusion in 1932, it had erected over 5,000 schools spanning from Virginia to Florida, with only 500 of them enduring today. Many of these remaining structures have gone unused for decades, prompting concerned communities to determine their destiny as relics of significant historical importance, envisioning their future as spaces that bring light to America’s past.
Constructed in the 1920s amid the segregation era, the Siloam School stands as a testament to Mecklenburg County’s past, representing one of the few remaining Rosenwald-era schools. Threatened by decay, this historic North Carolina establishment faced the risk of permanent loss.
To preserve its legacy, the Siloam School underwent relocation to the Charlotte Museum of History in mid-September 2023, with foundation piers installed in October.
Immediate interior restoration work commenced due to the school’s prior use as an auto repair garage for nearly a decade, leaving remnants of paints, solvents, and other fluids scattered across the original floors.
Tasked with maintaining close adherence to the original design, the museum directed the design team to recreate interior woodwork, source matching wood plank siding, and procure an original cast iron stove for historical accuracy.
Timmons Group’s Charlotte Land Development team was proud to support the vision of The Save Siloam School Project by designing the new building pad and surrounding hardscape and landscape at the museum site.
“This project required countless hours of coordination and discussions between the Museum and developer, where the school had been sitting vacant, most of which occurred long before Timmons Group was even involved. All that coordination culminated in a late-night cross-town trip to the Museum campus where the school would find its new home,” Project Manager Jason Dolan said.
The Museum is actively engaged in a donor campaign for the school, having already secured contributions for the plaza area at the north end of the building and the surrounding gardens. The plaza will feature engraved brick pavers as part of its hardscape design.
