Dudley School (City No. 3) - a city school was created in 1851 on the northwest corner of Mill and Maxwell Streets, in a large residence. This school was named after Dr. Benjamin W. Dudley, of Transylvania University. The school board resolution indicated Dudley was “a prominent surgeon of Lexington . . . . who was very much interested in the public schools of the city.” The school was located on the south side of Lexington, to meet the area’s growing enrollment. In 1869, Colonel John R. Graves[1] was hired as its principal. In 1881, the Dudley School was rebuilt with twelve classrooms, to consolidated the old Dudley and Annex (on Bolivar Street). In 1886, a four-room annex was built to meet expanding enrollment. During the 1891-92 school year, enrollment exceeded 600 pupils. The Annex was again opened to alleviate overcrowding. The Dudley School was closed in the late 1930s.
During 1940, the school board sold the building. However, they discovered that the title to the old Dudley School was never filed and was missing. After several days of searching, the deed was discovered among the old files at the courthouse. Apparently, the deed was included in the papers of a lawsuit involved in settling the estate of the property owner.[i] In the 1980s, the building was remodeled into upscale restaurants and offices.
Dudley School, now retail and office space, 2010 <Ambrose>
[1] John R. Graves was born during 1832 in Fayette County and graduated from Transylvania University, with a law degree. He moved to Missouri and entered the legal profession. In 1861, he raised a regiment for the Confederate Army and became a Colonel. He serviced under General Sterling Price during the Missouri campaign, fighting at the Battle of Pea Ridge. He was captured during the fighting at Cross Hollows in 1864. After the war, he returned to Lexington and became a teacher, during 1866, with the Lexington Public Schools. In 1869, he became the principal of Dudley School and then Lexington High School. He died in 1908.
[i] Lexington Leader, November 7, 1940, page 22, column 8, November 8, 1940, page 19, column 8.
