This small building served as the schoolhouse for education of African American children on the island until desegregation. It was constructed in 1916 and last used in 1966. Due to deterioration the building was demolished shortly before the year 2000. The school was built in an empty lot next to a house that was occupied by an African American family. When the family left the Island and the house finally was destroyed, a mobile home was placed on the lot and can still be seen there today. The mobile home is located at 4328 Hoopers Neck Rd. (almost 1 mile from bridge on the left) the top photo you can see the mobile home in the background for a point of reference.
This school had the only artesian well in the nearby area, and many local families went there to get their water. In those days, artesian wells constantly flowed water without need of a pump. The water flow resulted from a pipe that was buried as much as 500 feet deep. Years later, when the water table on the Island dropped and the water no longer naturally flowed, a hand pump was placed on top of the well pipe and used to pump water. In the 1940s, the Island got electricity for the first time, and a bare-essential rest room and running water was put in the schoolhouse, eliminating the use of an outhouse.
There was a large population of African American families during most of the years the schoolhouse was in operation, as there was an abundance of jobs on the Island. There was a tomato cannery, seafood catching and packing, and thriving farming activity. The area of the Hoopers Neck road from before the African American school to the second Bay Shore road turnoff was entirely populated by African American families. Only one family remains and most of the old houses have been destroyed and replaced.
This school had the only artesian well in the nearby area, and many local families went there to get their water. In those days, artesian wells constantly flowed water without need of a pump. The water flow resulted from a pipe that was buried as much as 500 feet deep. Years later, when the water table on the Island dropped and the water no longer naturally flowed, a hand pump was placed on top of the well pipe and used to pump water. In the 1940s, the Island got electricity for the first time, and a bare-essential rest room and running water was put in the schoolhouse, eliminating the use of an outhouse.
There was a large population of African American families during most of the years the schoolhouse was in operation, as there was an abundance of jobs on the Island. There was a tomato cannery, seafood catching and packing, and thriving farming activity. The area of the Hoopers Neck road from before the African American school to the second Bay Shore road turnoff was entirely populated by African American families. Only one family remains and most of the old houses have been destroyed and replaced.
Above is an photo of an artesian well on Taylors Island. This photo is from 1923 or 1924. The well (or flow) where water was caught was 510 feet deep. This particular well was near a saw mill in use on the island. Photo courtesy of Stephanie Coleman Elliott from her family collection.
