Now Chalk and Slate, the former Crossville Attendance Center has new life. Samantha Youngblood dropped by Carmi Kiwanis on Thursday to detail the history and future of the building. After consolidation into Carmi-White County of 1988, the school taught 4th and 5th graders from 1992 to 2013. After closure, it was used as storage before being purchased by Larry and Brad Cox who Youngblood says bought it in the hopes of it being used but also to keep anyone else from buying it and using it for something that didn’t do Crossville residents justice. From 2016 to 2024, the building was only used once a year on Memorial Day for a Crossville Alumni celebration. Youngblood and Brad Cox are neighbors. In January of 2025, Cox reached out.
So here we are. Brad contacts me and says my parents aren’t in great health. We’re thinking about selling the school. Would you and your husband want to buy it. I told him I’m going to have to get back with you. I talked to my husband, Alex, he’s a real go getter. He says yes, absolutely. I looked at him and said what are we going to do with this? He said because we have two boys that love sports and it’s a gym. We’re gonna buy it for our boys. I said ok, well maybe.
By May of 2025, they were buying a school for their boys (2nd and 5th grade) to play basketball in. One of the things they weren’t prepared for was insuring a school building that’s no longer a school. It went from June to mid-August uninsured while they jumped through hoops and found a Country Companies agent who was able to help get the property insured. A short time later, the Crossville Fire Department reached out to host a fundraiser there. At that point, utilizing the building as an event space took shape. Following a successful fundraising event centered around door mat painting,
Ever since then, our books have been completely full. That was in September. I’ve had family reunions book, birthday parties book, and here we are. We are very blessed and very busy.
For this year already, Youngblood says the venue has been booked for 6 receptions and a wedding. You can contact Chalk and Slate at 618-383-4609. The venue also has a facebook page where you can learn more about options and pricing details. Find it here. https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61578029635843
Coming up next week at Kiwanis, the group will learn more about new organization, Martha’s Mark.