The Ellis Street Graded School District lies at the heart of this district. The brick cruciform institutional building was constructed in 1880-1881 and is of Italianate design. It is Salisbury’s oldest educational facility and served as a grade school, high school, and elementary school. The Ellis Street district developed during the late nineteenth and early-twentieth century, as Salisbury experienced growth due to the Spencer Shops and an expanding downtown. There are 70 properties within the district. The dominant architectural styles include Queen Anne, Italianate, and Salisbury’s largest grouping of Craftsman bungalows. Across from the school are four identical Tudor, Revival style homes. The oldest building in the district is the David A. Atwell House on West Kerr Street, constructed in 1867 as a two-story structure with Greek Revival elements. (Source: Ellis Street Graded School National Register Nomination, 1999).
The district also includes Shober Bridge listed as a contributing structure in the National Register Historic District. The timber bridge spans the railroad tracks and was the site of the crossing of General Stoneman’s Raid into Salisbury in April of 1865.

Home Offerings in the Ellis Street Graded School Historic District: