Ribbon Cutting Ceremony in Chesapeake!

The Cornland School Foundation and Chesapeake Parks, Recreation and Tourism are cohosting a Ribbon Cutting Ceremony at the Historical Village at the Dismal Swamp. This event celebrates the highly anticipated rehabilitation of the Cornland School into a free public museum.

During the era of mandated segregation, Cornland School provided education to African American residents of Norfolk County. The rehabilitated school opens with exhibitions, highlighting the Cornland School alumni and the Cornland School Foundation.

Enjoy music, heavy appetizers, and a guided tour of the museum as we celebrate this achievement. The Cornland School has been rehabilitated to a museum. It is on property that will be a Historical Village, adjacent to the Dismal Swamp Canal. The Village will represent how generations of our region's residents lived, learned, worked, farmed, and played.

From the Indigenous groups who first inhabited the Swamp, to the extractive efforts of early colonists, plus the unique communities for people of African descent, the Dismal Swamp served as a significant crossroad for trade, commerce, and culture. The Village will share the experiences of these important people and their descendants--like the students who once attended the Cornland School.

The Ribbon Cutting takes place on Saturday, June 29, 11:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m, at

Historical Village at the Dismal Swamp, 5221 Glencoe Street, Chesapeake, VA 23322.

Admission is free. Parking is available. This event is open to the public!