One hundred years ago this fall, some Bowie area students started attending classes in a new school on the corner of 8th Street and Chestnut Avenue in the building that is now home to the Huntington Community Center. In 1912, the Bowie Elementary School had only four classrooms (two upstairs and two downstairs) and no indoor restrooms. Additional classrooms were added in 1923 for high school students. The school for the upper grades was known as Bowie High School, but the entire school was commonly referred to as The Bowie School.
The portion of the building closest to 8th Street (pictured here) was part of the original structure from 1912.
The high school was shutdown in 1945, forcing students to attend either Laurel High School or Bladensburg High School. The elementary school stayed open until 1962 when students started attending classes at High Bridge Elementary School.
Area schools in this era were segregated, and only white students attended classes at The Bowie School.
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