Skylake Neighbors

Skylake Neighbors

Historic Nacoochee Institute

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Dormitories

This private boarding school was founded by the Presbytery of Athens in 1903. Its campus occupied a large area incorporating the present day SNC campus along with other acreage.

Girls in uniform, as seen in the school assembly photo at the top of this page, were often boarding students. Dormitory buildings were located close by on "Dormitory Hill".

The standing figure visible at the back of the room in the school assembly picture is Rev. Dr. John Knox Coit, long time President of the Institute.
See additional historic photos

Successful Growth

The Institute enjoyed a national reputation and received support from Presbyterian churches in Georgia and beyond. Locally, it became known as the "Nacoochee School".

By 1925 it had grown considerably to include 301 acres of land, 3 school buildings, 4 dormitories, 8 cottage homes, and 16 farm or service buildings. It then supported 6 grammar grades, 3 junior high school grades, and departments of home economics, music, and commercial studies.

A school census of that time showed 14 teachers and 262 pupils.

Fleet Hall classrooms

Fiery End of an Era

A devastating fire destroyed the Institute's main buildings in 1926. By 1927 the faculty had merged with, and relocated to, the Rabun Gap School in neighboring Rabun County.

This consolidation was a success and the resulting private school still thrives today as the Rabun Gap-Nacoochee School.

White County built public school buildings and a gymnasium on the Institute's site in 1928. By the 1970's the county no longer used these buildings and SNCA was established by community members.