Anderson Grove Civic Association leads a tour of former Anderson Grove School
CALEDONIA, Miss. (WCBI) – A community group in northern Lowndes County is on a mission to preserve and bring new purpose to a former school.
The Anderson Grove Civic Association led a team from the Mississippi Department of Archives and History on a tour of the former Anderson Grove School.
The group hopes to get the school recognized as a historic landmark.
During the era of Segregation, Anderson Grove served Black students in the Caledonia area. After the schools were integrated, it became home to a Head Start Center. But it has sat vacant since the Head Start closed.
People in the area would like to see it used for education once again, either as a Head Start or as a community hub focused on things like test prep, workforce training, and adult education.
“I live right across the street, and when I saw it shut down, I was like, ‘You know, I hate that. I wonder what they’re going to do with it.’ And I actually saw a little hole in the roof, a nd I was like, well, that’s not good. We need to do something about it, and the community quickly came together and were like, ‘What are we gonna do?’ So, back in November, we emailed the Department of Archives and History, and we said like, what can we do with the school. So, that’s why I’m excited we got the ball rolling, and so that’s why we’re here today,” said Executive Director, Julia Chavez.
The Anderson Grove Civic Association will be hosting Anderson Grove Day on July 28. They are also looking for volunteers to help restore and preserve the building.
