Bingham Military School
The Bingham Military School was the state of North Carolina's first military school, founded in 1826 by Capt. D.H. Bingham, with the intention of providing more accessible training for military officers. The school opened its doors in January 1827, with D.H. Bingham as its superintendent and Capt. Patridge, who had served in the French army, as its head instructor. The school relocated twice, first from Williamsborough to Littleton in 1829, and then later that year from Littleton to Oxford.[2]
- Not to be confused with another school operating under the name established in Mebane, North Carolina, in 1865 and relocated to Asheville in 1891[1]
The school initially opened to some popularity. However, it soon came under fire by the newspaper The Star due to its young educators and the frequent absence of Capt. Patridge, who was more qualified. The school moved again to Raleigh in 1831, shortly before Bingham left the school for a position with a railroad company in Alabama in 1833. Finally, in 1836, the school moved to Wilmington. The school shut down fairly soon thereafter.[2]
It is sometimes mistaken for the Bingham School, or the Hillsborough Academy.[2]
Notable alumni
- Nelson Phillips (1873–1939), judge on the Supreme Court of Texas
- Perry G. Wall II (1867-1944), businessman and mayor of Tampa, Florida
- George Francis Willis (1880-1932), millionaire who made his fortune in patent medicines
References
- "Collection Number: 03730-z, Collection Title: Bingham Military School Volumes, 1872-1876; 1890-1919". The Southern Historical Collection at the Louis Round Wilson Special Collections Library. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. August 2006. Retrieved June 3, 2020.
- "ID: G-37, HILLSBOROUGH ACADEMY". North Carolina Highway Historical Marker Program. North Carolina Department of Cultural Resources. 2009. Retrieved June 3, 2020.