VERNON SCHOOL IS OFFICIALLY HISTORIC

The Kansan Newspaper
September 1, 2004

"The Vernon School, a haven of education for African-American students prior to school integration, has been placed on the Register of Historic Kansas Places.

The trustees of the Fifth Episcopal District of the African Methodist Episcopal Church, which owns the property and the nearby Quindaro Ruins, were informed of the decision by a letter from the Kansas State Historical Society on Aug 25.

The designation allows the church to seek state grants for preservation of the historic structure and provides tax credits to assist with rehabilitation efforts.

The Vernon School, built in 1936, is a one-story brick structure located at the corner of 27th Street and Sewell Avenue.  The current building was build as a replacement for the Colored School of Quindaro, which served freed slaves, but had become overcrowded and a fire hazard.

The school was named for Bishop William Tecumseh Vernon, a president of the defunct Western University, which also served African Americans.

The Vernon School was an all-black institution until 1972, when Quindaro Elementary School was built as part of the KCKs Public School's desegregation efforts.

A key part of the historic designation are two tax credits; a 25% Kansas State Income Tax Credit and a 20% federal investment tax credit.  Both are used for rehabilitation and are subject to the U. S. Secretary of the Interior's guidelines for rehabilitation.

The Vernon School would be near the proposed River's Edge/Quindaro Landing project, to be located just south of the Quindaro Ruins on 27th Street.

The development would feature a mix of apartments, loft apartments, townhomes and a nursing home; 276 housing units are planned for the project.'"

Link for Vernon School History
Built in 1936 by the WPA

Link for Western University
and a virtual tour of the Quindaro Ruins and other area history

Link for Quindaro School History
Built in 1858

History Site created 09 December, 2002

Page Updated 19-Apr-2005