School History

McBean Elementary School History

Location:
McBean is in the southern part of Richmond County, about 20 miles from downtown Augusta. The southern border touches Burke County.

Early History:
In 1735, immigrants from the Scottish Highlands settled near Savannah and Augusta. They were given land to help defend the colony. Locklan McBean, one of these settlers, received land in Augusta and 500 acres nearby.

McBean Company:
In 1850, Locklan McBean's descendants started the McBean Company. They produced wool and cotton fabric and operated saw, iron, and gristmills. The longest creek in Richmond County is named after Locklan McBean.

Early Schools:
Before an official Board of Education, local churches supported schools. The first McBean School, built on Hephzibah-McBean Road, burned down in 1926. A new school was built with two classrooms, an auditorium, and coal stoves for heat. Water came from a hand pump, and restrooms were outside.

Changes in the 1950s and 70s:
In 1958, McBean had 66 students. Parents asked to close the school and send children to Hephzibah and Floyd Graham. During integration in the 1970s, students in kindergarten to second grade went to Floyd Graham, and grades three to five went to Hephzibah.

New School:
In 1996, a new McBean Elementary was built for $5.9 million on Hephzibah-McBean Road. It replaced Floyd Graham Elementary. In the 1997-98 school year, students moved to the new school. The community was happy to have a school again after 40 years.

Dedication Ceremony:
The dedication included a program highlighting Scottish connections and the history of the McBean and Floyd Graham schools. A student played the bagpipes, and a chorus sang.