Nearly six decades after accepting her diploma from Dillard Junior High in Yanceyville, North Carolina, Cassandra Henderson has returned to the very same building as a resident of the newly restored Dillard School Senior Apartments. The institution, which sat vacant for roughly two decades following its closure, now provides 53 affordable housing units for adults aged 62 and older, according to a report by Tax Credit Coalition.
From Segregated Training School to Modern Senior Housing
Originally constructed between 1949 and 1951, the property began as the Caswell County Training School, serving as the first educational facility for Black students in Caswell County to offer 11 grades during the era of segregation. The campus expanded in 1960 with the addition of a gymnasium, providing dedicated space for athletics and student gatherings. Henderson graduated from the school in 1968, just prior to major shifts in local education.
Following desegregation in 1969, the facility was renamed in honor of longtime principal Nicholas Longworth Dillard. It continued to operate as a junior high school until shutting its doors in 2002. After sitting empty for 20 years, local preservation advocates successfully secured the building’s placement on the National Register of Historic Places, laying the groundwork for its adaptive reuse.
Restoration and Community-Led Redevelopment
The extensive redevelopment converted the former classrooms into seven studio apartments and 46 one-bedroom units. All 53 apartments are income-restricted, designated for seniors earning at or below 50 percent of the area median income. The project was brought to fruition through development efforts by DreamKey Partners and Red Stone Equity Partners.
The Affordable Housing Tax Credit Coalition recognized the development by presenting it with the 2026 Recognition of Housing Tax Credit Excellence award in the Rural Housing category. Designed specifically to support aging in place, the facility features elevator-served accessibility, a community room equipped with computers, fitness facilities, shared laundry spaces, tenant storage, and on-site management with supportive service coordination.
Exterior updates added community gardens, outdoor recreation spaces, pickleball courts, and shuffleboard areas to encourage social engagement among residents. By transforming an empty rural landmark into functional housing, the project preserves local architectural and cultural history while addressing the pressing need for affordable senior accommodations in Caswell County.
