One-Room Schoolhouses of the Farmington Valley
In the 19th century, when everyone walked to school, small schoolhouses dotted the landscape. At the time of the Civil War there were over 1800 one-room schoolhouses in Connecticut. Simsbury once had 13 one-room schoolhouses, Farmington had 12 and Granby had 11. Today just one of the old schoolhouses remains available to the public in each of these communities. See below for more information.
This page is in progress, so please check back often for additions.
1865 Pine Grove Schoolhouse
3 Harris Road (Route 167), Avon
Avon
Built at a cost of $1,538.34, Schoolhouse No. 7 opened December 1865. Henry Barnard, Connecticut’s first Commissioner of Education, called it the “finest school in the state.” Later named Pine Grove Schoolhouse by its students, it served as a school for 84 years until it closed in 1949. Later it became a branch library, nursery school and meeting place for Explorer Scouts. The Avon Historical Society, under lease from the Town, restored it in 1975 as a Bicentennial project. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, t is set up as a school of 1900. Open Sundays from 1-4 pm May, June, September, and October.
1865 Pine Grove Schoolhouse
Center School, Barkhamsted
119 Center Hill Rd, Rte 181
Barkhamsted
The 1821 schoolhouse of Barkhamsted‘s Center school district was two stories tall when it was built. Due to population decline and the building being in need of repair, it was converted to a one-story building by removing the first floor in 1880. It ceased being used as a school in the 1930s. In 1980, the schoolhouse was moved to Center Hill Road from its original location, near what is now the Barkhamsted Reservoir, by the Barkhamsted Historical Society.
This building is used mainly as a living museum, open the last Sunday of each month during summer May through September
Center School, c. 1821