One of Pickens County's Best Kept Secrets
Brief History contributed by Georgia Cagle
1877 Ludville high School Restoration to
Talking Rock Schoolhouse Teaching Museum
In 1868 Georgia made her first constitutional provision for public schools, and the cause of education took on new life all over the state. From that time on, there has been no lapse in the functioning of a state system of public education.
In Pickens County, a milepost was the establishment of the Ludville High School (also called the Ludville Academy) in 1877.
Early history - 1877: This schoolhouse was present as the area made the transition from the dark era following Reconstruction and the Trail of Tears through the cotton decades and into the early days of Depression.
The building was built in 1877 and located in Ludville (western end of Pickens County). Ms. Myrtle Burton was born and raised in Ludville and she taught school in Pickens County for forty-three years. She knew the location where the school was built from knowledge passed down by her relatives. She showed me the property which today is near Jackie's Flower Shop on Highway 53 and Big Ridge Road. The school originally went through the tenth grade.
Due to financial difficulties the school was sold to Chesley Vincent, an early educator. Professor Vincent operated the school at Ludville for a time and when the railroad came to Pickens County in 1882 the building was moved to Talking Rock as he felt it would be used and made available to more students with the railroad in Talking Rock.
From 1883 to sometime in the 1930's this building served as a schoolhouse for the children in the Talking Rock area and it was then known as The Talking Rock Academy. Historical use of the Ludville School
- Established in Ludville in 1877
- Structure moved to Talking Rock in 1882
- From 1882 to 1933 known as The Talking Rock Academy
- From 1940 to 1975 the structure was used as a Community Center
- From 1975 to 1998 the building stood dormant
- August 18, 1998 Restoration plans began
- 2002 - Dedication of the Talking Rock Schoolhouse Teaching Museum
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