Matthew Whaley School is a public elementary school located in the Peacock Hill neighborhood of Williamsburg, Virginia, occupying a historic school building. It is within the Williamsburg-James City County Public Schools.

Matthew Whaley School
Matthew Whaley School is located in Virginia
Matthew Whaley School
Matthew Whaley School is located in the United States
Matthew Whaley School
Location301 Scotland St., Williamsburg, Virginia
Coordinates37°16′26″N 76°42′15″W / 37.2740°N 76.7042°W / 37.2740; -76.7042
Area8.3 acres (3.4 ha)
Built1931
ArchitectCharles M. Robinson
Architectural styleGeorgian Revival
NRHP reference No.04000857 [1]
VLR No.137-0302
Significant dates
Added to NRHPAugust 13, 2004
Designated VLRJune 16, 2004[2]

The Georgian Revival structure was built between 1929 and 1930 based on a design by noted Virginia architect Charles M. Robinson. The monumental school building was located adjacent to the Governor's Palace in Colonial Williamsburg and "quickly became a local landmark of considerable architectural pretension."[3] The building's exterior features Flemish bond brickwork with glazed headers trimmed with a modillion cornice, and a hipped slate roof pierced by gables and topped with a pair of glazed cupolas. The structure has been well preserved with little alteration. The school was operated as a training school for the College of William and Mary and as a general public school serving students from kindergarten through twelfth grade. In 1955, James Blair High School opened, and the Matthew Whaley School became a grammar school serving children from kindergarten through fifth grade.[3] From 1997 to 1998, the school underwent a $5.4 million renovation which included improvements to make the building accessible to the handicapped and refurbishing the original slate roof.

In June 2004, the Virginia Board of Historic Resources added the school to the Virginia Landmarks Register.[4] The building was also listed on the National Register of Historic Places in August 2004.[1]

Matthew Whaley is part of the Williamsburg-James City County Public Schools system.

References

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  1. ^ a b "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. March 13, 2009.
  2. ^ "Virginia Landmarks Register". Virginia Department of Historic Resources. Retrieved 19 March 2013.
  3. ^ a b "National Register of Historic Places Registration Form for The Matthew Whaley School" (PDF). Virginia Department of Historical Resources. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2012-06-09.
  4. ^ "Matthew Whaley Elementary School Student Handbook" (PDF). Williamsburg-James City County Schools.
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