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Hume School

About

Date: Built 1891

Historic Designation:

Local Historic District: Oct. 3, 1978
National Register of Historic Places: June 18, 1979

Current Use of Property: Museum of the Arlington Historical Society

The Hume School is a notable example of the community pride shown in public schools during the last decades of the 19th century. The school was built in 1891 on a small piece of land bought by the Alexandria School Board, Jefferson District for $250. It was designed by Washington Architect B. Stanley Simmons and named for Frank Hume, an early civic and educational leader in Arlington.

The school was closed in 1956 and was deeded in 1960 to the Arlington Historical Society for use as a museum. The Hume School Historical Museum opened in May 1963, with exhibits on Arlington and Virginia history.

Architectural Features

The Hume School is a Queen Anne-style brick building. The building’s tower is covered by a pyramidal roof, topped by a cupola, which houses the school’s bell and is topped by a weather vane. The school’s plan is simple, with an entry passage that runs north-south and contains a stairway to the second floor. The first and second floors have been partitioned into individual museum display areas, with a small classroom preserved on the second floor.

Significant People

Frank Hume was a Confederate veteran wounded at the Battle of Gettysburg. After the war, he settled in Arlington, where he was elected to the House of Delegates for two terms. He also served as chairman of the Board of Supervisors of Alexandria County and as a member of the commission to choose a site for the county courthouse. He was also known for his philanthropic work and donated the land adjacent to the school building for use as a playground.

B. Stanley Simmons (Architect) was born in 1872 and was an early graduate of M.I.T. His best-known works are in Washington and include the Lafayette and Fairfax Hotels, the Barr Office Building, the Elks Club and the Jewish Community Center Building.