Dunbar School

Dunbar School is a Colonial Revival school building featuring buff-colored brick walls laid in Flemish Garden Wall bond pattern in Fairmont. The structure comprises two main floors with an additional exposed basement section on the western side, and large windows that illuminate the gymnasium area.

Architect William B. Ittner designed this school building in 1928 as the only high school serving Black students in Marion County. Its construction occurred during the era of legally mandated school segregation that defined American education at that time.

The school carries the name of Paul Laurence Dunbar, one of the first Black writers to gain national recognition in American literature. This naming choice honors his influential contributions to African American cultural expression.

The building is located downtown and easy to spot thanks to its distinctive brick walls and clear two-story structure. Visitors should note that the exposed basement section on the western side contributes to the structural features that define the site.

The building served its original purpose until 2007, when it transitioned from a segregated school to functioning as an integrated educational facility. This transformation reflects the broader shifts in American school policy and social integration that occurred over decades.

Location: Fairmont

Inception: 1928

Architects: William B. Ittner

Address: 103 High Street

GPS coordinates: 39.48667,-80.14667

Latest update: December 14, 2025 14:42