Fife, Virginia facts for kids

Fife is a small, unincorporated community in Goochland County, Virginia. It is located about 11 miles northwest of Goochland, the county seat. Fife is special because it is home to the oldest surviving Rosenwald school in Goochland County. This school, called Second Union School, was built in 1918. It is even listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

The Story of Fife

How Fife Got Its Name

The community of Fife has an interesting history, starting with its name. Long ago, it was known as "Fife's" or "Fifes." In 1827, a post office opened there, and it was named "Fife's" after the person who first owned the land where the village grew. Later, in 1893, the name was officially shortened to just "Fife."

Schools for Everyone: The Rosenwald Story

For many years, Fife was a farming area. In the early 1900s, schools in the South were separated by race. Schools for African American children often did not get enough money or resources.

That is where Julius Rosenwald came in. He was a kind person from Chicago who wanted to help. He worked with the Tuskegee Institute to build new schools for rural African American children. These schools were called Rosenwald schools. In Goochland County, 12 of these schools were built, with four of them in the western part of the county.

Second Union School: A Special Place

The Second Union School is a very important Rosenwald school. It is located near the Second Union Baptist Church in Fife. It is the last Rosenwald school in the county that still looks much like it did when it was first built. It is also the oldest one still standing in Goochland County.

The county stopped using the school building in 1959. At that time, students moved to a nearby school that was no longer separated by race. The building was then sold to the church. Today, the Second Union School has been turned into a museum. It is called the Second Union (Rosenwald) School Museum. It teaches visitors about the history of education in the area.