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History of Chicora Elementary

Honoring the Past. Building the Future.

Our campus will be located at 1912 Success Street in North Charleston, South Carolina. Through the generosity of our supporters, and in partnership with Metanoia, we will be transforming the historic old Chicora Elementary School into a fully renovated, state-of-the-art campus for Cristo Rey Charleston High School.

The campus will provide students of limited means with the opportunity to learn, work, and grow while also serving as a source of renewal and opportunity for the surrounding community.

black and white photo of an old, brick elementary school - arial view
A brick building with %22Cristo Rey High School%22 above the entrance is set against a backdrop of trees, with a brick walkway leading to benches and a circular emblem in the foreground.
A large, unfinished room with exposed wooden beams overhead and a bare wooden floor in the foreground, while the background shows walls with peeling paint and large windows.
Workers on a roof under construction are visible in the foreground, with a clear blue sky in the background.
Concrete blocks and metal supports are scattered across the unfinished concrete floor of a building under construction, with exposed wooden ceiling joists and windows looking out onto a residential area in the background.
A long, dimly lit hallway under renovation with exposed wooden beams overhead and debris scattered on the floor.

A Brief History of Old Chicora Elementary School

1921: Constructed as an elementary school for white children.

1935: Built on it's current location at 1912 Success Street in the Chicora-Cherokee neighborhood in North Charleston.

1938: Additions were made to the existing building.

1955-1963: Another addition was made in 1955 to create an "equalization school", part of a SC legislative initiative that strove to forestall the Supreme Court decision on school de-segregation.

1963-2011: Served as a public elementary school until it was closed. The Chicora Elementary School was relocated to a new building that opened  nearby in 2016.

2017: The City of North Charleston acquired the property and donated it to the local non-profit, Metanoia, to  revitalize the vacant site.

2020: A structure fire destroyed the historic auditorium and damaged surrounding portions of the building. 

2026: Metanoia partners with Cristo Rey and officially breaks ground on Cristo Rey Charleston High School which is scheduled to open its doors to the Founding Freshman class in August of 2027.