A Walk Through Time- Townley School

The first school in Townley was built in 1894 and was located on Alabama Highway 24 between Jasper and Carbon Hill. In March of 1964 the current school was built after the previous one burned down in 1962. It originally served first through ninth grade but transitioned to kindergarten through eighth grade in the mid 1980s. It was later renamed Townley Junior High School.Facing budget cuts, the Walker County Board of Education voted to close several schools in 2010, including Townley Junior High School, then with only 250 students. The vacant building fell into disrepair and was vandalized numerous times with broken windows and graffiti painted on its walls.In 2014, citizens and alumni cleaned up the building and formed the Townley Community Center, where gospel singings, car shows, Halloween carnivals, and other community activities are now held. It is also the site of the Walker County Sports Hall of Fame.  78