At its Monday night meeting on Jan. 12, 2026, the Calhoun City Council approved the designation of the Stephens School Campus as a Local Historic District, following a recommendation from the Historic Preservation Commission.
The designation applies to the campus located at the corner of McConnell Road and West Line Street, the site of the current City Utilities building. The request for designation was submitted by Gordon County Civic Club, Inc. (GCCC) and reviewed by the Historic Preservation Commission.
As part of the review process, the Commission evaluated a detailed designation report that included a physical description of the campus, statements outlining its historical and cultural significance, maps identifying the proposed district boundaries, and supporting photographs.
The Stephens School Campus traces its origins to the construction of the Rosenwald Elementary School in 1929. The school was built with assistance from the Rosenwald Foundation, matched by local contributions of land, labor and funding. The campus later expanded to serve as Gordon County’s only Black high school during the era of segregation, marking a significant chapter in the city’s educational and cultural history.
Stephens High School also holds an important place in Gordon County athletics. The Stephens High Hornets became the first school in the county to win a state championship when the boys’ basketball team captured the GIA Class C State Championship. That same year, the girls’ basketball team finished as state runner-up. The tournament was hosted at the Stephens High Gymnasium, which remains on the campus and was the first indoor gymnasium built for Black students in North Georgia.
Between 1952 and 1961, Stephens High School achieved notable athletic success, earning eight state basketball championships and four state track and field championships.