About Us → Julius West Biography

Who Was Julius West?

     In 1963, West Rockville Junior High received a new name, Julius West Middle School.  This name change was made to honor local farmer and benefactor of education, Mr. Julius West.  Mr. West was born in 1818 and lived most of his life in a small farmhouse near what would become the site of West Rockville Elementary School.  His farm included the area known as "West End park" and the land that is the current Julius West Middle School site.  After Mr. West's death in 1860, and that of his wife in 1887, most of the farm was deeded to Mr. West's former school, Rockville Academy, and his will instructed that the sale of his farms would "constitute a perpetual fund for education". 

     Julius West became a middle school in 1978.  In June 2002, the last member of the original staff of West Rockville Junior High retired from Julius West.