From the moment it opened on October 11, 1975, the McGuffey Art Center was a hit. Half a century later, the vibrant arts organization is still humming along, providing affordable studio space and a supportive environment for artists while delivering art shows, receptions, classes, open studios, and performances to the public.
When William H. McGuffey Primary School closed for good in May 1974, it was a blow to a downtown already in decline. Suburban malls had been drawing people away from the city’s center since 1959, when Barracks Road Shopping Center opened.
McGuffey School had occupied a position of prominence in Charlottesville since 1916. Designed by Ferguson, Carlow and Taylor, the architects of UVA’s Peabody Hall, the colonial revival structure was named for UVA professor William Holmes McGuffey, who together with his brother produced McGuffey Readers—popular primers used to teach reading skills throughout the American public school system from the mid-19th century into the 20th century…