Historical Marker
Jacobs Hall
Historical marker location:
Danville, Kentucky
( School for the Deaf campus, S. Second St., Danville)
Kentucky School for the Deaf first opened 1823 in Danville, at 4th and Main Sts. In 1826, it moved to this campus. Jacobs Hall is oldest surviving building, constructed 1855-57, of Italianate design by architect Thomas Lewinski. Its interior is marked by a main hall with curving staircase and four-story atrium open to the cupola. Exterior remains unchanged.
(Reverse) John A. Jacobs, Sr. (1806-69) - KSD's first trained teacher, principal, third superintendent, 1825-1869. A Centre College student, he was sent in 1824 to Hartford, Conn., for training under T.H. Gallaudet and Laurent Clerc, pioneers of deaf education in America. He introduced Methodical Signs here and authored texts for deaf students.