Hargrave Military Academy, founded in 1909 in Chatham, Virginia, is a private, all-male, college preparatory boarding school grounded in Christian (Baptist) values. Accredited by the Virginia Association of Independent Schools, Cognia, and the Virginia Council for Private Education, Hargrave is committed to academic rigor, character development, and leadership.

Here, young men from grades 7 through 12, and even postgraduate year, learn within the framework of a distinctive military model, which is structured yet designed to foster creativity and independence. Boarding cadets live in supervised “barracks” under a system of companies, where leadership opportunities, responsibility, and accountability are woven into day-to-day life. 

Hargrave’s mission is clear and unwavering: to build young men into leaders of character prepared for lifelong success. Through four foundational pillars—academics, character, faith, and athletics—the Academy instills habits of effective study, spiritual growth, physical strength, and service.

Since its beginnings as Chatham Training School, Hargrave has remained steadfast in its vision. Founded by Rev. T. Ryland Sanford and John Hunt Hargrave, the school formally became Hargrave Military Academy in 1925. Today, its campus, which is on the National Register of Historic Places, serves a global brotherhood of cadets who carry forward its legacy of discipline, faith, and leadership.

Hargrave graduates don’t just leave with diplomas, they leave as part of a lifelong brotherhood, equipped with the character, work ethic, and compassion needed to navigate college, service, and life. 

Come see what life is like at Hargrave Military Academy, where tradition meets transformation, and young men become leaders.