100 Years of Community Impact

Built in 1926 from native rock quarried during the construction of Signal Mountain Road, the Historic Signal Mountain Grammar School is celebrating 100 years as a cornerstone of the community. Signal Mountain’s first public building, it served as both a school and a gathering place, with a distinctive V-shaped design, triple-arch entrance, classrooms along the wings, and a 200-seat auditorium, making it one of the oldest school buildings in Hamilton County still in use.

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When the school was slated for closure in 1999, local residents stepped forward to preserve it as a community arts center. The Town of Signal Mountain began leasing the property, creating the Mountain Arts Community Center (MACC). Under the leadership of its first director, Karen Shropshire, the building was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2001, and in 2009 it was officially gifted to the Town. Today, MACC stands as a lasting example of what a committed community can preserve and reimagine together.

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Thanks to the vision and generosity of the Signal Mountain Education Preservation Fund, led by Dick and Cheryl Graham, the building was thoughtfully renovated, preserving its historic character while updating it for modern use. With operations now returned to the Town of Signal Mountain, the center continues to thrive as a welcoming space, with the Town committed to ensuring it inspires creativity, learning, and connection for generations to come.