The Bell Building, the original home of the Marietta Johnson School of Organic Education, reopened its doors on the Coastal Alabama Community College Fairhope Campus after a southern-style classy renovation.
With funding support from the Fairhope Single Tax Colony, Coastal Alabama employed the expertise of Langan Development and Lathan McKee Architects to painstakingly deconstruct and rebuild the Bell Building. The structure is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Alumni from the trailblazing Marietta Johnson School, as well as representatives from the Baldwin County Legislature, the Fairhope Single Tax Colony, the City of Fairhope, Coastal Alabama Community College, and ardent supporters such as the Cain Family and the Faust Family came together to snip a ribbon to officially open the sturdy wooden doors tucked behind the memorable white columns of the Bell Building.
The Bell Building is currently home to a museum dedicated to Marietta Johnson and the School of Organic Education, as well as Coastal Alabama’s art program. It is the state’s oldest existing school building still in continuous use as a classroom facility.
“We are so excited to showcase the unique history of the Organic School in this stunning museum,” Mandy Bezeredi, Coastal Alabama’s Fairhope Campus Director said. “It is a valuable addition to Fairhope tourism, and we are ready to welcome even more community members and visitors.”
Coastal Alabama has also employed Mr. Alan Samry as its museum curator for the Marietta Johnson Museum. Mr. Samry noted the volume of precious archives, pictures, and letters that tell a beautiful story of the education in the early 1900s through today.
