Marengo County High School

City/Town: • Thomaston

Location Class: • Educational

Built: • June 24, 1909 | Abandoned: • 1979

Historic Designation: • Historic District (October 14, 2000)

Status: • Restored

Photojournalist: • David Bulit

Table of Contents

The town of Thomaston was founded by Dr. Charles Brooks Thomas and was incorporated on November 15, 1901. In 1907, the Alabama State Legislature voted to set aside state funds to consolidate and establish a school in each county. Dr. Thomas already planned for this and in 1905, had donated land for the establishment of a county school. The town established a Board of Trustees which began to bid for the Marengo County High School. Thomaston was chosen as the location for the school in 1908 and construction began. The building was dedicated on June 24, 1909.

The first classes took place in the fall of 1909. Marengo County High School served the entire county. Many students commuted by train daily to Thomaston from Linden, Dixon Mills, Myrtlewood, Demopolis, and many other towns to attend high school. A gym was later constructed on the property in 1949.

Marengo County High School was used from 1909 until 1979. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places as part of the Thomaston Central Historic District on October 14, 2000. It’s described as a “Two-story brick, Neo-Classical/Craftsman hip-roofed Marengo County High School with slightly projecting end bays, centered, one-story, flat-roofed entry porch on square, hollow columns. Auditorium to rear (west) centered, extended. Facade has 15 openings in 3 main bays. Other buildings on school property are 1949 brick-veneered, gym with failing roof, one-story, brick-veneered home economics building, two-story concrete block firehouse. A pivotal feature of the Central Thomaston District.“

The gym was renovated in 2016 and was occupied by Dave’s Market which operates another store in Valley Grande, Ala. Unfortunately, the store closed down in 2020. As to why it closed, a representative explained, “Dave’s Market closed solely because it did not work out with the new owners. Hopefully, Dave’s Market will reopen in the near future.”