History Crumbling in Virginia

Cemeteries and segregation schools among threatened areas

Family cemeteries and several schools that educated African-American children during Virginia's segregated past are among the historic sites threatened by decay and neglect.

They're on a list compiled by Preservation Virginia, a statewide nonprofit historic preservation group founded in 1889.

The group lists buildings, places and other sites each year that face threats to their survival.

Previous lists have helped spark local preservation efforts.

This year's threatened areas are the old Albemarle County Jail in Charlottesville, part of which dates back to the 1870's; the Cornland School in Chesapeake; the St. Francis de Sales School in Powhatan; the Taylor Hotel in Winchester; the Warm Springs Bathhouses; the Gavis residence in Winchester; the Carver School in Alexandria; the Morrisena property in Albemarle County; and Warwick Town in Newport News, a colonial port town and a political and commercial center.

The group also raised concern about historic family cemeteries across the state, many of which are threatened by development and neglect.

Over the weekend a list of threatened sites in Washington was released.

Copyright AP - Associated Press
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