Penn School Historic District Campus

Penn Center is divided in two main halves: The East campus and the West campus separated by Dr. Martin Luther King Dr., also known as Route 45. The East campus is composed mostly of residential buildings and dormitories. Notable buildings on the East campus include the Brick Baptist Church, the Emory S. Campbell Dining Hall, and the Green Learning Center Rosenwald School. The West campus is composed mostly of School buildings, Community Buildings, and Farm Buildings. Notable buildings on the west campus include the Frissell Community House, Darrah Hall, and the Cope Industrial Shop. The majority of Penn Center's campus is located on its West campus with a large vineyard located on the path to the far end of west campus. The western boundary of West Campus ends at a cove of Capers Creek, a distributary of the Atlantic Ocean where the Retreat House and Dock is located. ==Dormitory and Residence Buildings==

Hampton House Built in 1904, the Hampton House was dedicated by name, in January 1905, after the Hampton Institute. The Hampton Institute is a historically black industrial school in Hampton, Virginia, and served as a model for Penn School's change into Penn Normal, even sponsoring Penn Center between 1901 and 1917. Hampton was designed to house two resident teachers with two more rooms for guests. Early principals of Penn - Rose Cooley and Grace House - lived in Hampton and entertained guests such as hosting tea parties, even using the house for weddings. Hampton House is surrounded by a field of Oak Trees and Yuccas plants. Palmetto and Pine trees were planted around the house by Penn students. The house today accommodates overnight guests of Penn Center. Benezet House Benezet House, also known as Benezette House, is an historic dormitory located on the campus of Penn Center. It was built in 1905, completed in March 1906, and named after Frenchman, Anthony Benezet. The female teachers and boarding students of Penn took residence in Benezet, with the first group moving in in May 1906. Female students had to live in Benezet before they graduated, as this was the spot for home economics classes for the female students. Today, Benezet House is used to house overnight guests. Cedar Cottage Cedar Cottage was built in 1907 as a residence for Penn's single female teachers, as well as for use as the nurse's office and dispensary. Originally named Carpenter's Cottage, built by and for Penn School's first carpenter, Mr. Stevens.,.Jasmine Cottage won the Third Place Prize. Orchard Cottage Orchard Cottage, built in 1942, was designed as a teacher's residence. It has also been utilized in recent years as a print shop, but today is not currently in use. Retreat House and Dock The Retreat House and Dock were built in 1968, designed with the intention for Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., to use the new house in place of the smaller Gantt Cottage. The Retreat House was built on the site of the former Palmetto Cottage which was built in 1920 but was destroyed by fire in the 1950's. Dormitory and residence Buildings Gallery file:Hampton House.png|South (front) Elevation - Hampton House file:Hampton House.jpg|Hampton House file:Cedar Cottage.png | North (front) Elevation - Cedar Cottage file:Cedar Cottage.jpg | Cedar Cottage file:Jasmin Cottage.png | North (front) Elevation - Jasmine Cottage file:Pine Cottage.png | East (front) Elevation - Pine Cottage file:Pine Grove Cottage.jpg| Pine Grove Cottage file:Lathers Dormitory.png | East (front) Elevation - Lathers Dormitory file:Lathers.jpg|Lathers Dormitory file:Arnett House.png|West (front) Elevation - Arnett Cottage file:Arnett Cottage.jpg| Arnett Cottage file:Orchard Cottage (Penn Center).jpg|Orchard Cottage ==School Buildings==

File:Cope Building.png|Front Elevation - Cope Building File:Cope Industrial Building.jpg|Cope Industrial Building File:Cafeteria Penn Center.png|South Side Elevation - Cafeteria File:Campbell Dining.jpg|Campbell Dining Hall File:Rosenwald.jpg|Rosenwald File:Butler Building.png|South (front) Elevation - Butler Building File:Butler Building.jpg|Butler Building ==Community Buildings==

Brick Baptist Church was utilized as classrooms, despite not being a part of Penn Center's campus today, when Penn School was moving out of Oaks Plantation House due to demand for a larger classroom and into their new school house. Brick Church was dedicated in 2016 as one of the National Reconstruction Era Monuments. Darrah Hall is the oldest extant building on the Penn Center Campus. It was built in 1903 as a replacement for the 1882 original structure. Funding was provided by Mr. & Mrs. Darrah and was dedicated as a memorial to Sophia Towne Darrah who was the sister of Laura Towne. The original Darrah Hall was used for the community of Penn School and the Saint Helena Island. It was also used by early Penn teachers as the site of the cooking, carpentry, and printing classes and as a library for students. Darrah Hall was moved to its current site, located behind the Potato House. Since then, Darrah Hall has been used for community purposes such as the farmer's conference, wedding receptions, and even as a basketball court. By the mid-1970s, the hall was used for storage. In the 1990s, interest in the history of Penn School led to the restoration of Darrah Hall, and Darrah Hall was once again used for community events. Today, Darrah Hall is one of the Reconstruction Era Monuments dedicated in 2016 and under the direction of the National Park Service. Alden Sales House The Sales House, originally a milk house, was constructed about 1916. The original building, Alden Sales House, was built around 1900 and located next to Frissell. Alden Sales House eventually housed a secondhand clothing store. In 1937, the Alden Sales House was torn down and replaced, however neither building now remains. The Alden Sales House located on Penn's campus today was built by students. Frissell Community House The Frissell Community House was built in 1925. It is located on the site of Penn's first School house. The Frissell Community House was named to honor Dr. Hollis Burke Frissell. Dr. Frissell was president of the Hampton Institute in Virginia, and helped change Penn School into the Penn Normal, Industrial and Agriculture School. Frissell Community House has been used for many different purposes such as a library and a kitchen and dining room for Penn School students who did not live on campus. The House was used for parties, plays, and Community Sings, and even for classes. Frissell was also the site where the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC) trained and held their strategy meetings with Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. during the 1960's Frissell Community House is still used as a gathering place for social activities and meetings for the St. Helena Community. Community Buildings Gallery File:Brick Church.png|East (front) - Brick Church File:Brick Baptist Church.png|Brick Baptist Church File:Darrah Building.png|Darrah Building File:Darrah Hall.jpg|Darrah Hall File:Alden Sales House.jpg|Alden Sales House File:Frissell Community House.png|East (front) Elevation - Frissell Community House File:Frissell Exterior.jpg|Frissell Exterior ==Farm and Other Buildings==

File:Liberty Bell and Bell Tower.png| Liberty Bell and Bell Tower File:Bell Tower and Water Tower.jpg|Bell Tower and Water Tower File:Implement Building.png|Potato House File:Potato House.jpg|Potato House File:Old Milk Barn.png |Old Milk Barn File:The Cannery.jpg|The Cannery File:The Cannery and Silo Detail.jpg| The Cannery and Silo detail ==See also==