Brigham Academy facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Brigham Academy
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 Location in Vermont
Location in the United States
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| Location | Jct. of VT 108 and Academy Rd., Bakersfield, Vermont |
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| Area | less than one acre |
| Built | 1878 |
| Architect | Sweat, Ira; Goff, A. H. |
| Architectural style | Second Empire |
| MPS | Educational Resources of Vermont MPS |
| NRHP reference No. | 95001428 |
| Added to NRHP | December 13, 1995 |
The Brigham Academy is a special old school building in Bakersfield, Vermont, United States. It was built in 1878 thanks to a generous gift from a man named Peter Bent Brigham. For many years, it was a very important high school for students from all over northern Vermont.
The original building is a great example of Second Empire style architecture. Because of its history and unique design, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1995. This list helps protect important historical places in the United States.
What Does Brigham Academy Look Like?
The old Brigham Academy building is in the village of Bakersfield. It stands next to the town's current primary school. The building is made of brick and has two floors. It has a special roof style called a hip roof.
A tall tower rises from the middle of the building. This tower has clock faces on its front and sides. The windows are rectangular with stone sills and tops. You can find entrances in three parts of the building that stick out slightly. Inside, much of the building looks like it did after a big update in 1901.
A Gift for Education: The Story of Peter Bent Brigham
Peter Bent Brigham grew up in Bakersfield. He became very successful in Boston, making a lot of money from real estate and restaurants. When he passed away in 1877, he left $30,000 to his hometown of Bakersfield for education. This was a huge amount of money back then!
Brigham is also famous for helping to start one of the hospitals that later became Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston. The town of Bakersfield used over $7,000 of his gift to build the academy. They saved the rest of the money to help run the school for many years.
The School's History
Brigham Academy quickly became a popular high school. Students from all over northern Vermont came to learn there. It served as a high school until 1966.
After some big repairs, the building reopened in 1968 as a middle school. It continued to be a middle school until 1986. That's when a new school building, combining elementary and middle school, opened right next door.
