Lexington County · Marker 32-54
Batesburg Colored School
Maple St., approx. 500 ft. south of Howard St., Batesburg-Leesville
Front inscription
This is the site of Batesburg Colored School, built c.1922 with support from the Julius Rosenwald Foundation. The Colored Educational Society of Batesburg paid for the land and local African Americans provided the largest share of the two-story frame building’s construction costs. The school burned in 1933. It was replaced by a brick building that also caught fire in 1940 and was destroyed and rebuilt.
Twin City High School
Around 1950 students from neighboring Leesville began attending and the school was renamed Twin City High School. Major additions and renovations were funded in 1953 by the equalization program, a state effort to preserve segregation by upgrading Black schools. Twin City’s colors were blue and gold and its mascot was the Hornets. It closed in 1970 as part of integration. The school burned in 1974 and was demolished.