Century America

“It was a beautiful spirit of co-operation between school and community.”

In commemoration of the 100th anniversary of World War I, the Century America project chronicles the local impact of the Great War. This site is based on archival research and recounts some of the stories of the Fredericksburg State Normal School and the town of Fredericksburg, Virginia, between 1914–1919, as they navigated the challenges brought forth by the war abroad and the Spanish influenza that hit at home. The community of Fredericksburg and the faculty and students at the normal school dedicated themselves to supporting the war effort in any way that they could: fundraising, conserving food, serving overseas, and many other activities. The school and community continued their patriotic efforts even as the Spanish influenza struck at the end of September in 1918, closing the school and public places for about a week.

Click on the pictures above to explore the rich histories of Fredericksburg and the Fredericksburg State Normal School during the Great War.