303 Josephine Street, Berryville, Virginia 22611; 39.14104 N, 77.97953 W
Directions from Milton Valley Cemetery to Site 7c & 7d:
- Travel back up Josephine St and the entrance will be on your left (you passed it on the way down to the cemetery).
- The building is to the left once you enter the driveway.
The mission of the Josephine School Community Museum is to create and manage a living museum dedicated to restoring our original 1882 schoolhouse and sharing the people, objects, and stories that form the continuing legacy of Clarke County's African American history and heritage.
In 1882, the residents of Josephine City built the Josephine City School to provide their children with a grade school education. Under the leadership of Rev. Edward Johnson, a new building was completed in 1930 to provide high school education for Negro students and was called the Clarke County Training School. It was named the W.T.B. Williams Training School in 1944 to honor a Clarke County native who served as Dean of Tuskegee Institute. The original frame Josephine School was moved from its original site along Josephine Street to its current location and used for agricultural and home economics instruction. From 1949 to 1966, the 1930 school was known as Johnson-Williams High School. After the integration of public schools, it became the Johnson-Williams Intermediate School and served students of all races from 1966 until it closed in 1987. The high school building was converted into apartments for older persons in 1992. The original Josephine City School was placed on the National Register of Historic Places. In 2003 it became the first museum devoted to the history of Clarke County's African-American community. The renovation of the Josephine School Community Museum building was completed in October 2002 with assistance from the Virginia General Assembly and the Clarke County Board of Supervisors. The inaugural exhibit of the museum was opened on July 12, 2003. Donations to Josephine School Community Museum may be sent to their mailing address above. |
PO Box 423, Berryville, VA 22611
Open Sunday 1PM - 3 PM and by appointment; jschoolmuseum.org |