Built 1891 VLR # 000-0011 Opened 1891 Added to NRHP 18 June 1979 | NRHP Reference # 79003027 Designated VLR September 26, 1979 Area 4,047 m² Architect B. Stanley Simmons | |
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Location 1805 S. Arlington Ridge Rd., Arlington, Virginia Architectural style Queen Anne style architecture Similar Arlington Historical Museum, Ball‑Sellers House, Fort Ethan Allen, Fort Scott, Lomax African Methodist | ||
The Hume School is an 1891 former school building in the Arlington Ridge neighborhood in Arlington County, Virginia. It is the oldest school building in Arlington County It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1979 and is also a designated Arlington County Landmark. It has been the home of the Arlington Historical Society since 1960. The Hume School is currently operated as the Arlington Historical Museum by the Arlington Historical Society. It has over 4000 artifact representing all of the history of Arlington, VA. The museum is open on Saturday and Sunday from 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m..
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The building
The Queen Anne-style building was designed by B. Stanley Simmons, a Washington architect. Its design reflects the changing thoughts around the importance of education and larger schools. Frank Hume, a Confederate veteran of the Civil War and local civic leader, sold his property to the county for $250 and donated some additional land for the playground. It was an active public school from 1891 until it closed in 1958. A community campaign ended with the building being deeded to the Arlington Historical Society in 1960. They later purchased additional property behind the building to ensure views toward Washington and prevent development.
Arlington Historical Society
The Arlington Historical Society was founded in September 1956. It moved into the Hume school in 1960 and began an extensive restoration before opening the building as a museum in the early 1960s. The AHS continues as a non-profit organization supporting research, preservation, and education efforts related to the local history of Arlington County, Virginia. The Ball-Sellers House was donated to the Arlington Historical Society in 1975 for preservation and interpretation.
On Feb 15th, 2011, Arlington County announced that the 2011-2012 vehicle decal sticker will feature a photo of the Hume School taken by Wakefield High School junior Maya Giacobbe as part of a contest