Sayre Street School Explained

Sayre Street School
Location:506 Sayre Street, Montgomery, Alabama
Coordinates:32.3708°N -86.3108°W
Built:1891
Builder:J. B. Worthington
Architecture:Romanesque
Added:February 19, 1982
Refnum:82002066
Designated Other1:ARLH
Designated Other1 Date:April 11, 1984[1]

The Sayre Street School (formerly, Chilton College) building is located at 506 Sayre Street, in an older residential neighborhood near downtown Montgomery, Alabama. The school was originally built in 1891 by builder J. B. Worthington and served as office space until 2017.[2] The building and surrounding landscape, now abandoned and neglected, have fallen into a state of major disrepair.

On February 19, 1982 the building was added to the U.S. National Register of Historic Places.

History

Chilton College was an institution for the education of girls and young women, established in Montgomery, 1866, by Lavinia Bradford Chilton. It was at first located on Felder Avenue. In 1872, she purchased the building formerly occupied by Cox College, corner of Sayre and Mildred Streets, to which the school was removed. After 10 years successful work, Mrs. Chilton's health failed, and in August 1882, she sold the property to the City of Montgomery and closed the institution. It was turned over to the city school board which opened it as the Sayre Street Grammar School in the fall of that year, as a part of the municipal school system. The old building had been marked by a marble slab inscribed "Chilton College". To commemorate its existence and also the educational work of Mrs. Chilton, in 1909, this slab was formally placed on the base, and near the northeast corner of the Sayre Street School building by the Peter Forney Chapter, Daughters of the American Revolution.[3]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: ALABAMA REGISTER OF LANDMARKS & HERITAGE . ahc.alabama.gov . 30 January 2024.
  2. Web site: Mertins . Ellen . Mary Ann Neely . September 1981 . [{{NRHP url|id=82002066}} Sayre Street School ]. live . https://www.webcitation.org/6O5vWQqPo?url=http://pdfhost.focus.nps.gov/docs/nrhp/text/82002066.pdf . March 15, 2014 . March 15, 2014 . National Register of Historic Places Inventory-Nomination Form . National Park Service. See also: Web site: [{{NRHP url|id=82002066|photos=y}} Accompanying photos ]. live . https://www.webcitation.org/6O5vXzry0?url=http://pdfhost.focus.nps.gov/docs/nrhp/photos/82002066.pdf . March 15, 2014 . March 15, 2014.
  3. Book: Owen . Thomas McAdory . History of Alabama and Dictionary of Alabama Biography . 1921 . 1 . S. J. Clarke publishing Company . en . 240 . Chilton College . 7 December 2023.