Historic building once used as a black school in Jackson makes endangered list

The balance between preserving historic places and meeting present needs can be tough, acknowledged a Jackson school district official.

But one site is safe for now — despite being placed on a list of endangered buildings.

The Missouri Alliance for Historic Preservation (or Missouri Preservation) announced its 2017 list of historic places in peril. Of 13 properties across the state, the Lincoln School building in Jackson was the only site listed in Cape Girardeau County and one of only two school buildings.

According to the list released by Missouri Preservation, Jackson’s first record of a school serving the African-American community was in 1892 at 107 Cherry St., near the present-day Cape Girardeau County Sheriff’s Department building. In 1894, the list states, the first Lincoln School on Union Street was built but destroyed in a 1946 flood.

Built in 1947, the second Lincoln School stands vacant and unused near the intersection of South Oklahoma and West Jefferson streets, across from Jackson High School’s football stadium.

The former Lincoln School building stands on the corner of Oklahoma and West Jefferson streets in Jackson.BEN MATTHEWS

The school was used to educate black children until 1953, when Jackson’s schools were integrated. For two years after, the building was used for kindergarten and first grades.

It was remodeled into offices in the late 1950s, the list states, and remained in use until 1988, when the building again was remodeled for Support Services.

The sign still stands outside the building, though Support Services has not occupied the building for some time, schools superintendent John Link said by phone Wednesday.

“At this point in time, there’s really no plan specifically for that area,” Link said.

In June, the district demolished the old Jackson High School, referred to as “Old A,” to make way for a building that would allow freshmen to join the rest of the high school students. That building is under construction and should be ready for students in August.

Link said the new construction should address district growth for the foreseeable future.

“We feel like when this project’s done, we’ll be in pretty good shape, depending on growth,” Link said, adding the district added about 180 students this year.

“This particular building is not on the docket for usage or removal right now,” Link said, but acknowledged the high school is landlocked in its present location, bordered by West Jackson Boulevard, St. Paul Lutheran Church and School and City Cemetery.

The other concern is how useful the building is, Link said.

It’s a multistory building, and because its layout, it would be prohibitively expensive to make it comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act, Link said.

“Like the old high-school building that sat empty and deteriorating on the inside,” Link added, referring to “Old A.”

The Lincoln School is small with narrow stairs inside the front door, Link said, so even as a storage building, it’s not useful.

“It’s really hard to get anything in and out of that building,” he said.

But Link said the city’s larger efforts toward historic preservation are a great move.

”We have some beautiful old buildings in town that keep Jackson’s spirit alive, but for this, for no use but to just stand there, would be problematic,” Link said.

mniederkorn@semissourian.com

(573) 388-3630

Pertinent address:

South Oklahoma and West Jefferson Streets, Jackson, Mo.