Rock Castle Group

       There is a property in Powhatan, Virginia known as the Belmead Plantation. This land was owned by a Confederate general who committed suicide in 1851, and his family maintained the slaves, livestock and other holdings until the 187Os, and the property was purchased by the Drexel/Morrell families in 1890's. At this time two schools of higher learning were founded for African American youth. St. Emma Military Academy and St. Francis de Sales High School.

 

      This Endangered Historical Property includes historical buildings, cultural landscapes, cemeteries, archaeological sites, and urban or rural historic events for over 75 years, and was not just another elite Black boarding school, but St. Emma was the only Black military academy in the United States that existed for 77 years. St. Francis was founded by and supported by one of the only two American-born Saints, Katharine Drexel. 

The schools were established and operated during a time when the Jim Crow South offered limited or no educational opportunities for African Americans. Boldly located 40 miles from the capital of the Confederacy, these institutions aimed to offer a comprehensive education that included academics, military training, and vocational skills. The academy functioned as a military school, often referred to as the "West Point of Prep schools", emphasizing discipline, respect, teamwork, and leadership. Through the isolation, rigorous training, and educational programs, both schools sought to produce well-rounded individuals who exemplified the principles of honor, integrity, and service. 

 

       These institutions were located on 2,600 acres of land along the James River and were separated by Deep Creek, with a distance of one mile separating the two. On the St. Emma side, there were over forty buildings, and in its heyday, it was like a little town needing nothing from the outside world but salt and sugar. During the slavery days, the property could support almost two hundred people. Hence, the founders reasoned that it could easily supply the needs of the cadet corps and St. Francis and still have enough produce to sell to the community. This was where the black and white farmers came to have repairs done. At one time, it was famous for the Red Jump Wagon works, sold throughout the South. The Belmead mansion was built in the 1840s and is the only structure still standing on the boy's side of Deep Creek today. The girl's school building provided almost all necessary living and learning spaces for the girls attending St. Francis. The building housed not only classrooms, parlors, and dining rooms but also dormitory rooms for both the students and the teachers in charge of student's education.

         

        ln  1890s, Katharine Drexel hired the Virginia architect C.L. Dodd, Jr. to construct the main building located in the northeast corner of the main building, the school chapel, which was designed by Pennsylvania architect H. A. Roby and has ornate marble and oak fixtures. Established in 1899 by Saint Katharine, the founder of the Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament, St. Francis provided a high school education for the girls in an atmosphere far removed from the harm and the moral evils of cities. Unfortunately, both schools were closed by 1972 due to declining enrollment and the advancements. During its time, over 15,000 students graduated from these schools, and their stories and those of their founders are very important and intriguing parts of American history, that of integration, among others that should not be forgotten. The St. Francis building still stands, although it's in bad shape. 

 

        If the right people & money were available, this site would still be ideal for so many causes whether it be government or a private entity. A Black history museum? A retreat for disabled veterans, or maybe an annex for a college or university. The Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament had to sell the property and it was purchased by Mr. Jeff Oakley in 2019.