By Nicole Bowman-Layton
EDENTON — Demolition began Feb. 12 of the last remaining parts of the old John A. Holmes High School in Edenton.
The old facility, which sat on the 700 block of North Broad and North Oakum streets, was demolished in 2023, except for the gymnasium, cafeteria and “commons,” and Career Technology Education classroom. They were in use until the end of the fall 2025 semester, this past December.
Once the demolition is complete, any remaining debris will be removed. The site will become a student parking lot for the new school, which opened to students on Jan. 26, 2026.
Construction is ongoing, as crews work to finish the theater. They will build the tennis courts once it’s warm enough to do a “virgin” asphalt pour. In this procedure, all asphalt-making equipment is cleaned to ensure a uniform pour in terms of type and materials.
After construction is completed, which is expected sometime around when school ends in June, the Edenton-Chowan School District plans to host an open house for the public to tour the new facility. Details will be published on this website once they become available.
The original building was 78 years old when it was torn down.
The photos below are a combination of screenshots from a video by School Board member Sheila Evans and Albemarle Observer’s Miles Layton.
