Construction of the school began in 1922 and was completed in 1923. The Julius Rosenwald Fund provided $500 toward the construction cost, the African-American community of Cairo raised $700 toward the project cost, and the Tennessee public school fund provided the remaining $700.[3][4]
The school was built according to a standard design for a one-teacher Rosenwald school. Built on a stone foundation, it has a gable-end entrance and weatherboard siding. Its interior contains one classroom, with two cloak closets on either side of the entrance door and a platform across the end of the building opposite the door. Modernization efforts after World War II included addition of electric wiring and indoor plumbing, resulting in one of the cloak closets being converted to a restroom.[3][4]
The school was operated until 1959, serving grades 1 through 8. After it closed due to school consolidation, it became a community center.[4] In 1996, it was listed on the National Register of Historic Places due to efforts by the Cairo Improvement Club. The building underwent a major restoration in 2008–2009 under the direction of the Tennessee Preservation Trust and the Middle Tennessee State University Center for Historic Preservation. The restoration project was assisted by a grant award of $46,987 from Lowe's Charitable and Educational Foundation.[4][5]
^Hoffschwelle, Mary S. (2012). "Cairo Rosenwald School". Preserving Rosenwald Schools. National Trust for Historic Preservation. p. 20. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |url= (help)
Further reading
Sumner County Fact Book 2007–2008. The News Examiner & The Hendersonville Star News. 2007.
