First Ward School is a historic

school A school is an educational institution designed to provide learning spaces and learning environments for the teaching of students under the direction of teachers. Most countries have systems of formal education, which is sometimes compuls ...

building located at Elkins,

Randolph County, West Virginia Randolph County is a county located in the U.S. state of West Virginia. As of the 2020 census, the population was 27,932. Its county seat is Elkins. The county was founded in 1787 and is named for Edmund Jennings Randolph. Randolph County com ...

. It was built in 1907, is a two-story brick masonry structure, with full basement and

sandstone Sandstone is a clastic sedimentary rock composed mainly of sand-sized (0.0625 to 2 mm) silicate grains. Sandstones comprise about 20–25% of all sedimentary rocks. Most sandstone is composed of quartz or feldspar (both silicates) ...

trim. It has a

slate Slate is a fine-grained, foliated, homogeneous metamorphic rock derived from an original shale-type sedimentary rock composed of clay or volcanic ash through low-grade regional metamorphism. It is the finest grained foliated metamorphic rock. ...

covered hipped roof and is in the

Classical Revival Neoclassical architecture is an architectural style produced by the Neoclassical movement that began in the mid-18th century in Italy and France. It became one of the most prominent architectural styles in the Western world. The prevailing style ...

style. The interior features hard maple flooring and quarter-sawn oak staircases, wainscotings, built-in bookcases, doors, moldings, and trim work. It was built as a combined elementary and high school. It served as an elementary school alone from 1926 to 1976, when the building was retired as a school. It was listed on the

National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artistic v ...

in 2009.

References

Neoclassical architecture in West Virginia Defunct schools in West Virginia Educational institutions disestablished in 1976 Former school buildings in the United States School buildings completed in 1907 Schools in Randolph County, West Virginia School buildings on the National Register of Historic Places in West Virginia National Register of Historic Places in Randolph County, West Virginia Buildings and structures in Elkins, West Virginia 1907 establishments in West Virginia Educational institutions established in 1907 1976 disestablishments in West Virginia {{RandolphCountyWV-NRHP-stub