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| In Berryville, VA |
The museum in the old 2-room school is open Sunday afternoons from 1 PM to 3 PM. A docent gave us an informative tour that included a look at a model of the small town of Josephine as it was some years back. A sign posted on the end of the building tells us the following:In 1882, the former slaves and free colored people of this community 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. From 1949 to 1966, the 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 was closed in 1987. The high school building was converted into apartments for older persons in 1992. The original Josephine City School is 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.
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| Former High School, Now Apartments for Senior Citizens |
A similar historical marker stands in the parking lot. Behind it you can see the brick Johnson-Williams High School that now serves as apartments. |
| Former Shop Class Building |
Quite a variety of uses!
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