The Cape Charles Town attorney gave the go-ahead to terminate the lease of Parcel 14. The parcel is currently in the hands of Eyre Baldwin and South Port Investors. Baldwin signed away the lease earlier in June, and the termination has been recorded by the County Clerk of the Court.
Lease termination opens the door for another town giveaway, this time to the Cape Charles Rosenwald School Restoration Initiative. The finalized deed has been conveyed and signed by the Mayor.
Rosenwald schools were educational facilities built with the assistance of the Rosenwald rural school building program, an initiative to narrow racial schooling gaps in the South by constructing better, more-accessible schools for African Americans. They are called Rosenwald schools because they were partially funded by grants from the Rosenwald Fund, a foundation established by Julius Rosenwald, an Illinois businessman and philanthropist.
Historical Note: Rather than save the historic Cape Charles High School building, the town opted to sell the structure to developers for $10. The old school was actually the first racially integrated school in Northampton and boasted the oldest stage on the Eastern Shore inside the gymtorium.
Happy Juneteenth! I couldn’t think of any better way to celebrate and commemorate Juneteenth Day than this news. Kudos to the responsible parties!