History

Southern Academy in Greensboro traces its roots to Southern University, founded in 1859 on the same site by the Alabama Methodist Conference. In 1917, the Methodist school would merge to form Birmingham-Southern College, moving from its original Gothic Revival building to its new hilltop site. In 1919, Southern Military Academy took over the Greensboro campus until the 1940s. In 1965, Southern Academy was re-organized as a private school in the historic building affectionately known as “the Castle,” until May 1973, when a tornado destroyed the building.

But that was not the end of the SA story. Southern families quickly rebuilt the school, incorporating original bricks from their historic building. SA has continued its educational mission into the 21st Century with steady growth, including many multi-generational families who are Southern alumni.