Free Hill, Tennessee facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Free Hill, Tennessee
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 Free Hill, Tennessee
Location in Tennessee
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| Country | United States |
| State | Tennessee |
| County | Clay |
| Elevation | 620 ft (189 m) |
| Time zone | UTC-6 (Central Time Zone) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-5 (Central Time Zone) |
| Area code(s) | 931 |
| GNIS feature ID | 1284872 |
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Free Hills Rosenwald School
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The old Free Hills Rosenwald School at Free Hills Community Park
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| Location | Free Hills Rd., E of TN 52, Free Hill, Tennessee |
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| Area | 1 acre (0.40 ha) |
| Built | 1929 |
| Built by | Samuel L. Smith |
| Architectural style | Rosenwald School Plan |
| NRHP reference No. | 96001360 |
| Added to NRHP | November 15, 1996 |
Free Hill is a special community in Clay County, Tennessee. It is an area that isn't officially a town or city. It was started in 1816, before the Civil War, by African American people who were no longer enslaved.
History of Free Hill
Free Hill was founded by people who had been freed from slavery. Virginia Hill, the daughter of a rich planter from North Carolina, bought a large piece of land. She then freed her enslaved people and gave them this land to live on. Some stories say that Virginia Hill's own children, who were of mixed race, were among the first residents.
At its busiest time, about 300 people lived in Free Hill. The community had two grocery stores, three clubs, two places to eat, two churches, and a school. Today, about 70 people live in Free Hill.
The Free Hills Rosenwald School
The school in Free Hill was a special kind of school called a Rosenwald school. These schools were built for African American children in the early 1900s. They received money from a fund set up by Julius Rosenwald.
The Free Hills Rosenwald School was used from around 1925 to 1949. It is one of only about 30 Rosenwald schools that are still standing today. Because of its history, the school was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1996. This means it's recognized as an important historical site.
Free Hill in Recent Years
The number of people living in Free Hill has gone down since the 1960s. However, a small group of residents still live there. In 1993, the state of Tennessee put up a historical marker on Tennessee State Route 53. This marker helps people learn about the community and its important history.
