DuVal High School opened in 1960 to relieve overcrowding from other local area high schools. The original building was a one-story, 38-classroom school situated in the formerly small village of Good Luck, Maryland. The historic primary school serving the same community (the "Good Luck Schoolhouse" or "Glen Dale Colored School") was built in 1899, expanded in 1915 but abandoned c. 1935, and became a private residence in 1938.[12]
The school name honors Gabriel Duvall (or DuVal) (1752–1844), a Supreme Court Justice whose family formerly owned a local slave plantation.[13] The spelling of the name now conforms with that used by his descendants. DuVal held a number of public offices, including serving as the U.S. representative from Maryland's second district from November 11, 1794, to March 28, 1796, Chief Justice of Maryland's General Court from 1796 to 1802, and U.S. Comptroller of the Treasury from 1802 through 1811. Duvall also served on the United States Supreme Court, as associate justice (replacing fellow Marylander Samuel Chase) from 1811 until 1835, when he resigned due to old age.