Norridgewock Female Academy facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Norridgewock Female Academy
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 Location in Maine
Location in the United States
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| Location | US 2 N side, .05 mi. W of jct. with Upper Main St., Norridgewock, Maine |
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| Area | less than one acre |
| Built | 1837 |
| Architectural style | Greek Revival |
| NRHP reference No. | 96000244 |
| Added to NRHP | March 7, 1996 |
The Norridgewock Female Academy was once a special school for girls in Norridgewock, Maine. Today, this historic building is home to the Norridgewock Historical Society. It's located on Mercer Road, which is also United States Route 2. The building itself is quite old, built in 1837. It was used as a school until 1860. This building is special because it's one of the few old school buildings left that looks like a Greek temple. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1996, which means it's an important historical site.
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About the Building
The Norridgewock Female Academy building is in the village of Norridgewock. It sits next to the Eaton School building. The academy building is made of brick and has one and a half stories. It has a front that looks like a small Greek temple. This part has four tall, round columns and a triangular roof section called a pediment.
Architectural Style
The pediment of the building is flat and has two windows in the middle. Below the columns, the front of the building has three sections. There is a simple entrance door in the middle, with windows on either side. At the back of the main building, a smaller, one-story wooden section extends out. This part connects the main building to an old wooden carriage house. The style of the building is called Greek Revival, which was popular in the 1800s.
History of the Academy
The Norridgewock Female Academy opened its doors in 1837. The main part of the building was built that same year. The land for the school was given by a doctor named Amos Townsend. This school was a place where girls could get an education during a time when not many schools were available just for them.
Notable Students and Later Uses
The school operated for many years, until 1860. One famous student who attended the academy was Rebecca Sophia Clarke. She later became a well-known author of children's books. She wrote under the pen name "Sophie May." After the academy closed, the building was used by the Eaton School for a short time. The Eaton School later built its own larger building next door.
In the 1880s, the building was sold to private owners. It was used as housing for teachers from the Eaton School for a while. In 1994, the Norridgewock Historical Society bought the building. Today, the society uses the building as a museum. It helps to preserve the history of Norridgewock for everyone to learn about.
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