The History of James Wood High School 

James Wood High School , established in 1950, was the only high school that served Frederick County at that time. However, prior to 1950 the county supported 5 smaller high schools located in rural communities throughout the area. Those smaller high schools were named after the communities upon where they were located. The names of the schools were:  Stephens City , Middletown , Stonewall, Gore and Gainesboro. Even though these high schools no longer exist the communities continue to grow and provide a fond reminder of where we have been and where we are today.

Looking further back into our past James Wood High School was named in honor of Colonel James Wood, founder of the town of Winchester and Colonel of the Virginia Continental Militia. In addition, Colonel Wood was the first clerk of the court for Frederick County and a fellow surveyor and friend of George Washington. Located on Amherst Street today one can find the original home site of Colonel Wood, known as Glen Burnie.

These small samples of historical facts provide us some insight on how we have evolved as a school and the principles upon which we were built. It is through these facts we can build a sense of pride and interest for James Wood High School and how this learning institution has served our community for the past 56 years.

Timeline of James Wood High School
(Year building was created)