Chesterfield Dedicates Historical Marker for Dupuy Elementary
TL;DR: Chesterfield County unveiled a historical marker on June 29 honoring Dupuy Elementary School, a 1962 school built for Black students that later became a hub for desegregation efforts, with its former site now home to affordable housing.
Quick facts
- Who: Chesterfield County, Concerned Citizens of Ettrick, Maggie Walker Community Land Trust
- What: Historical marker dedication for Dupuy Elementary School, now Ettrick Landing affordable housing development
- When: June 29, 2026 (marker ceremony); school opened 1962, demolished 2020, homes completed November 2025
- Where: 3901 Dupuy Road, Ettrick, Chesterfield County, Virginia
The story
Chesterfield County marked a significant moment in its educational and civil rights history on June 29 when the community gathered to dedicate a historical marker for Dupuy Elementary School. The school opened in 1962 as an all-Black institution serving kindergarten through seventh grade, built at a time when the county's public schools remained segregated nearly a decade after the Supreme Court's Brown v. Board of Education decision. The timing of Dupuy's construction reflected the resistance some Southern jurisdictions mounted to school integration.
The school gained particular historical significance in the years following its opening. Under Virginia's Pupil Placement Board policies, Black families who sought enrollment for their children in previously all-white schools faced barriers and denials. When several Black students applied to attend white schools in Chesterfield, their families pursued federal legal action, leading to the landmark case McLeod v. Chesterfield. This litigation resulted in the county's first integration milestone in November 1962, when Black students enrolled in a previously all-white school. As the county moved toward fuller desegregation, Dupuy Elementary was converted into the Ettrick Elementary School Annex in 1970, serving the integration transition before closure in 1988.
The building itself was demolished in 2020, but the site gained new purpose in 2019 when Chesterfield County appointed the Maggie Walker Community Land Trust as the county's land bank. The trust received the 5-acre parcel at 3901 Dupuy Road and developed it into Ettrick Landing, a 10-unit single-family subdivision completed in November 2025. The homes, ranging from 1,300 to 1,700 square feet with three bedrooms and two-and-a-half bathrooms, sold for approximately $160,000 each, creating permanently affordable homeownership opportunities through the community land trust model. This marked the first time Virginia had developed an entire subdivision managed by a community land trust, and it honored the historical legacy of the site by providing accessible housing for working families in the Ettrick community.
The June 29 dedication brought together county officials, community members, and residents of the new subdivision to reflect on Dupuy's role in the county's desegregation history and to recognize the site's transformation into a resource for permanent affordability and equity in housing.
Key players
- Maggie Walker Community Land Trust: Nonprofit developer of Ettrick Landing; received 5-acre property from county in 2019 to create affordable housing
- Chesterfield County Board of Supervisors: Transferred the Dupuy Road property to the land trust; co-hosted dedication ceremony
- Concerned Citizens of Ettrick: Community partner in historical marker dedication
Key dates
- 1962: Dupuy Elementary School opened to serve African American students in kindergarten through seventh grade
- 1970: School converted to Ettrick Elementary School Annex as Chesterfield County moved toward school desegregation
- 1988: Ettrick Elementary Annex closed
- 2020: Dupuy Elementary building demolished
- 2025-11: Ettrick Landing subdivision completed with 10 affordable homes; all homes sold
- 2026-06-29: Historical marker dedicated at the site
The case for
Dedicating the historical marker acknowledges Dupuy Elementary's central role in Chesterfield's desegregation struggle and preserves important civil rights history for future generations. The reuse of the site for affordable housing through a community land trust model directly addresses housing affordability challenges in an area facing rising costs, while honoring the site's legacy by ensuring access for working families rather than speculative development.
The case against
Some may view the marker dedication as coming decades after the school's closure (36 years after demolition in 2020), raising questions about how quickly the county acknowledges sites of educational equity struggles versus celebrating them only after removal. The permanent affordability model, while innovative, affects only 10 families on the site, which may be modest compared to the scale of housing need across the county.
Why it matters: The marker and transformation of the Dupuy site demonstrate how Chesterfield is acknowledging the county's desegregation history while creating tangible housing pathways for working families today. For residents seeking affordable homeownership in a region experiencing rapid growth and rising property costs, Ettrick Landing represents both a connection to the site's historical significance and a practical solution to affordability barriers.
Places
- Dupuy Elementary School (former, now Ettrick Landing)+Chesterfield+VA)
- Ettrick
- Ettrick Elementary Annex (former)+Chesterfield+VA)
- Chesterfield County
Development timeline
- 1962Dupuy Elementary School opens: School built to serve African American students in kindergarten through seventh grade [[source]](https://www.chesterfield.gov/)
- 1962-11McLeod v. Chesterfield integration case results in first Black enrollment at white school: Federal court litigation by Black families seeking enrollment in previously all-white schools leads to county's first desegregation enrollment [[source]](https://www.chesterfield.gov/)
- 1970Dupuy Elementary converted to Ettrick Elementary Annex: Building repurposed during Chesterfield County's desegregation transition [[source]](https://www.chesterfield.gov/)
- 1988Ettrick Elementary Annex closes: School facility permanently closed [[source]](https://www.chesterfield.gov/)
- 2019Chesterfield County appoints Maggie Walker Community Land Trust as land bank: County designates MWCLT to receive county-owned properties; transfers 3901 Dupuy Road property [[source]](https://www.chesterfield.gov/CivicAlerts.aspx?AID=3153)
- 2020Dupuy Elementary building demolished: Original school structure removed from site [[source]](https://www.chesterfield.gov/)
- 2025-11Ettrick Landing subdivision completed: 10-unit affordable housing development finished with all homes sold at approximately $160,000 each; first Virginia subdivision developed and managed entirely by community land trust [[source]](https://richmondbizsense.com/2025/11/21/housing-nonprofit-maggie-walker-completes-10-home-subdivision-in-south-chesterfield/)
- 2026-06-29Historical marker dedicated: Chesterfield County and Concerned Citizens of Ettrick dedicate historical marker commemorating Dupuy Elementary School's legacy [[source]](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-k_ucPvuBs4)
Related links
- Maggie Walker Community Land Trust
- Ettrick Landing Project Page
- Chesterfield County Historic Landmarks
- Chesterfield County Newsflash (Ettrick Landing Completion)
Read the original at Chesterfield County (YouTube) →
Sources
- Maggie Walker Community Land Trust - Home
- Ettrick Landing - Maggie Walker Community Land Trust
- Housing nonprofit Maggie Walker completes 10-home subdivision in South Chesterfield
- At Ettrick Landing, the dream of affordable home ownership has become reality
- Chesterfield County - Historic and Designated Landmarks
- Chesterfield County - History