Lucy F. Simms School

{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2025}}

{{Infobox NRHP

| name = Lucy F. Simms School

| nrhp_type =

| designated_other1 = Virginia Landmarks Register

| designated_other1_date = December 3, 2003{{cite web|title=Virginia Landmarks Register|url=http://www.dhr.virginia.gov/registers/register_counties_cities.htm|publisher=Virginia Department of Historic Resources|accessdate=19 March 2013}}

| designated_other1_number = 115-5035

| designated_other1_num_position = bottom

| image = Lucy F Simms School Harrisonburg VA Sept 2013.JPG

| caption = Lucy F. Simms School in September 2013

| location = 620 Simms Ave., Harrisonburg, Virginia

| coordinates = {{coord|38.4545|-78.8580|region:US-VA_type:edu|format=dms|display=inline,title}}

| locmapin = Virginia#USA

| built = {{Start date|1939}}

| architect = Virginia Department of Education

| builder = Nielson Construction Company

| architecture =

| added = February 11, 2004

| area = {{convert|7|acre}}

| refnum = 04000040{{NRISref|version=2010a}}

}}

The Lucy F. Simms School is a school building at 620 Simms Avenue in Harrisonburg, Virginia. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on February 11, 2004.{{cite web|url=http://www.dhr.virginia.gov/registers/Cities/Harrisonburg/115-5035_Lucy_F.Simms_School_2004_Final_Nomination.pdf|title=Lucy F.Simms School Final Nomination|year=2004|accessdate=1 October 2013}}

Lucy F. Simms (born 1855, died July 10, 1934) was a former slave who went on to become an influential teacher in Harrisonburg.{{cite book |last1=MacAllister |first1=Dale E. |title=Lucy Frances Simms: From Slavery to Revered Public Service |date=2020 |publisher=Lot's Wife Publishing Company |isbn=9781934368497 |page=305}}

The school was located in north-eastern Harrisonburg, on the site of a previous school, the Effinger Street school. It was co-educational but was only available to African American children. The site had housed a school from around 1880 on what had previously been the Hilltop estate of the Gray family. The Lucy F. Simms school was built in 1938 and closed from 1966 when American schools finally became integrated and so open to all children.{{cite web |title=The Life of Lucy F. Simms |url=https://omeka.lib.jmu.edu/simms/exhibits/show/simms-exhibition/life-of-simms |website=Celebrating Simms: story of the Lucy F. Simms School |publisher=James Madison University and Shenandoah Black Heritage |access-date=26 September 2021}}

After the school's closure, the building remained empty until it was re-opened in 2005 as the Lucy F. Simms Continuing Education Center.