It was founded in 1893 by Dr. William James Edwards, a graduate of Tuskegee University, and began in a one-room log cabin.

The school grew over time to include a campus of 27 buildings, a staff of 35, and over 400 students.

[3] They range in architectural style from Queen Anne to Craftsman and include the founder's home, five teachers' cottages, and the library.

[3] In June 1980, Dr. Edwards' granddaughter and Snow Hill alumna Consuela Lee Moorehead reopened the school as the Springtree/Snow Hill Institute for the Performing Arts and ran after-school and summer programs for local students.

[4] The art institute continued to run until 2003 when Moorehead's declining health caused her to close down the school.