Riverside School
River Street, Elkins, WV 26241
From 1905-1954 the Riverside School was the only public school for African-Americans in Randolph County and is one of the oldest public school buildings in Elkins. Because they were excluded from white schools, the only educational opportunities available to African-Americans in Randolph County around 1900 were those offered in independent institutions like private homes or local churches.
Riverside was originally constructed as a one-story, two-room elementary school for grades 1-8. By 1928 a second story was built due to a petition by local community members, and a high-school curriculum was added. Because it was the only public school for African-Americans in Randolph County, students traveled from outside Elkins to attend. Some even came from the surrounding counties. Riverside also served the Native American population as well.
The school closed with desegregation in 1954. The building was later used as a storage facility and repair shop for school buses. The building was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2009. The school building is currently owned by Big Timber Brewing Company who is working with Woodlands Development Group to turn the space into an archive or interpretive space.
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