University Green Area Heritage Study

Historic Burlington Research Project - HP 206

Historic Preservation Program - University of Vermont

Elihu B. Taft School

404 Pearl Street

Image 1: View of Elihu B. Taft School looking northeast. Photo by Rachel J. Peterson

The Elihu B. Taft School was built in 1938 and served as an elementary school from 1938 until 1980.(1)  The funds and land for the school’s construction was bequeathed to the city of Burlington by Elihu B Taft in his will.  He designated that the land and money be used to construct a school and if/when the property was no longer being used as a school, it was to be used as a shelter for older homeless men. ”(2)

The school sits on the Taft homestead site on the corner of Pearl Street and South Williams Street.  The city also purchased a 0.425 acre lot from Mary L. Saunders that neighbored the Taft lot on the east side.(3) Construction began and both project costs and the completion date had to be extended in accommodate the large project. (4)

The building closed as a school in 1980 due to the lack of young children in the neighborhood.  It was then occupied by the Burlington School Administration until 1985 when the University Health Center, the Lake Champlain Committee, and the On Top program leased the space.(5) This change in use went against the prescriptions set in Taft’s will and in 1986, a lawsuit was filed.(6)  There were a series of demonstrations, protests, and sit-ins by the homeless community who felt they should have use of the building now that it was no longer being used as a school.  A judged ruled in 1987 that the building could continue to lease to non-school entities for five years, but no more.(7)

This decision did not sit well with the homeless population and protests continued into the 1990s.  In 1995, a codicil to Taft’s will was found that offered the school administration a loophole to the use restrictions.(8) The school district wanted to sell the building because of rising operating costs, but was continually met with legal resistance. 

The issue fell silent again until 2006 when the school district began actively seeking buyers for the property.  Again, the homeless community protested and filed suits.  The school administration intimately decided to delay any decision with regard to the property until all legal matters had been resolved.(8)

Text by Rachel J. Peterson