Montvale

Montvale offers two distinct ways to explore its history: the development of Montvale High School into an educational center and social gathering place for a rural community, and the buildings that make up the Locust Level estate. At the high school, architectural context meets a history of use spanning several decades. Locust Level offers a different perspective: there, buildings from several centuries stand side by side. Together, these examples show that historical context is not tied to a single year of construction.

Montvale High School: Architecture and Educational Center

Montvale High School was built in 1930 as a school for white students in grades 1 through 12. The explicit identification of its intended students at the time is part of the building’s history, as is its later role. Architecturally, the school was designed in the Colonial Revival style with Art Deco influences.

Colonial Revival refers to a return to colonial design traditions; Art Deco is described as an additional influence. This classification thus identifies both the style and another design reference. The two points belong together, but they do not mean the same thing: the Colonial Revival style describes the design, while Art Deco influenced it.

The building’s history did not end in 1930. The school was expanded continuously from the 1930s through the 1960s. This development demonstrates its growing importance as an educational center and social gathering place for the rural community. The year of construction marks the beginning of the school’s history; the expansions show how the institution’s role continued to evolve over several decades.

Locust Level and Its Historic Structures

The Locust Level estate includes several elements from different periods. The brick house was built in the 1820s. It is joined by the ruins of the 18th-century Henry Buford House, 19th-century outbuildings, and a family cemetery. The dates refer to different parts of the estate: the ruins date back further than the brick house, while the outbuildings belong to a later period.

Distinguishing between the house and the estate is helpful for understanding the site. The brick house is one building; Locust Level also includes the ruins, outbuildings, and family cemetery. The name Henry Buford House refers to the ruins, not the brick house. This makes it possible to understand the estate’s long span of history without treating its different structures as belonging to a single period of construction. Such estates may be privately owned and not open to the public. Check whether you are allowed to enter Locust Level before visiting.

Comparing the Periods

Chronologically, the oldest structures mentioned at Locust Level date to the 18th century. They are followed by the brick house from the 1820s and the 19th-century outbuildings. The history of Montvale High School begins considerably later, with its construction in 1930, and continues through the expansions of the 1960s. These examples therefore show different types of historical development side by side: Locust Level brings together structures from different periods, while the school’s history shows the growing importance of an educational institution in the 20th century. This comparison offers two different perspectives on Montvale: the layering of periods at an estate and the continued development of an educational center.

Discover more destinations: Forest, Goode, Moneta, Bedford

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