Former Chesterfield County Home Site
Edwards Elementary School
Chesterfield Colored School Class of 1954
Elizabeth Ann Gaddy Rivers: The graduates shown in the second photo were members of the Chesterfield Colored School Class of 1954. Their original school, which had been located at the corner of Mill Street and what is now Toatley Road, had burned, and classes had been moved to the old County Home, which was located south of town on what is now Edwards Road. You can see the County Home building in the background of the photo. I remember when the other school burned and recall that there were many white rocks on the grounds, some of which spelled out something, but I can't remember what. After the Class of 1954 graduated, the remaining classes were moved to a school building on Zoar Road. That facility had housed the old Zoar High School before that school had been lost to county school consolidation. When the Chesterfield Colored School students moved into the building, the school was re-named Gary High School, and the students remained there until integration of all county schools. The old County Home was torn down, and that site is today the location of Edwards Elementary School, which will be moving to a new facility on Highway Nine West in January, 2008. I remember the County Home well. I spent many a Sunday afternoon there while my parents visited and played cards, usually Setback or Rook, with Mr. Sim and "Miss" Mary Belle Hodges, who lived there and for many years managed the facility which housed some of the county's indigent citizens. I can still remember Toby who lived there, and Jimmy Jenkins says he does, too.