Fox Community Center
Fox Community Center
This Will Take a Team . . .
Fox Middle School in Gainesboro, Tennessee is the same building as the historically significant Jackson County High School. The building was originally Jackson County High School from 1939 to 1969 and then became Fox Middle School until around 2000. It is located at 707 School Drive, just half a mile from the Jackson County Courthouse. A two-story, brick Colonial Revival-style structure designed by architects Marr and Holman of Nashville, this 20,840 square-foot building includes 10 spacious classrooms, two multi-stall bathrooms and a large 4,980 sq.ft. gymnasium.
The building is owned by the Jackson County School District under the authority of the Jackson County School Board but has been vacant since the new Jackson County Middle School was completed circa 2000.
In 2009, Gainesboro Mayor John Richard Fox commissioned Gary Everton of EOA Architects in Nashville to undertake an assessment of the old middle school. Of major concern at the time was finding ways to keep water from weather and rain from penetrating the building. As a result, new roof shingles were installed, windowsills were caulked and other ways of preventing water incursion were put into place. This turned out to be a very wise decision on the part of Mayor Fox!
Recognizing that a valuable and much-loved community asset was in our midst, just waiting for a new life, the Jackson County Chamber of Commerce, Jackson County Board of Commissioners, Jackson County School Board, Town of Gainesboro and Fox Community Center Nonprofit joined together to make a plan for the old building.
Knowing the community's thoughts was first on everyone's list.
and Jackson County has one!
The result? A community-wide survey to gather ideas from as many Jackson County residents as possible. Take a look at the Survey Results to learn what we found out!