Dunbar High School

About

Dunbar High School in Lexington was built in 1951 and named for poet Paul Laurence Dunbar. It served Black students until it closed as a high school in 1968 after integration, and it was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on May 21, 2026.

Preservation North Carolina has protected the school with covenants since 2009 and announced its sale in 2025 to a developer planning to adapt the building for housing. The National Park Service listed the property on May 21, 2026 (reference SG100013049).

Details

Address

301 Smith Ave, Lexington, NC, Lexington, NC

Town

Lexington

Built

1951

Closed as high school

1968

NRHP listed

May 21, 2026 (ref. SG100013049)

Sources

• nps.gov
• presnc.org
• en.wikipedia.org

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