Old Stone House Museum facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Old Stone House Museum
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U.S. Historic district
Contributing property |
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Athenian Hall in Brownington, Vermont
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| Location | 109 Old Stone House Rd., Brownington, VT |
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| Nearest city | Newport |
| Website | http://oldstonehousemuseum.org |
| Part of | Brownington Village Historic District (ID73000197) |
| Designated CP | May 9, 1973 |
The Old Stone House Museum & Historic Village is a cool place to visit in Brownington, Vermont. It's run by the Orleans County Historical Society. The main building, called the Old Stone House, is super old and important. It's part of a special area called the Brownington Village Historic District, which has ten historic buildings. These buildings were added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1973 because they are so important to history!
Contents
History of the Old Stone House
Alexander Twilight's Big Idea
The Old Stone House, also known as Athenian Hall, was built in 1836. It was created by an amazing person named Alexander Twilight. He was the first African-American person in the United States to graduate from college!
Twilight was a minister at the Brownington Congregational Church. He was also the principal of the Orleans County Grammar School. This school was the only high school in the whole county.
A Home for Students
Many students had to travel far to attend the Orleans County Grammar School. They often stayed with families in town, including Alexander Twilight's family. Twilight wanted a bigger building to house all the students coming to the school.
He asked the school's leaders for support to build a larger place. However, most of them didn't agree with him. So, Twilight decided to build the new dormitory all by himself!
Building the Stone House
In 1834, Alexander Twilight started planning the building. He used land that Cyrus Eaton had given for the project. Twilight planned a four-story building made of strong granite. It would be about 26 feet wide and 66 feet long.
Over the next two years, the stone house you see today was built. It looked similar to another building called Painter Hall at Middlebury College. We don't have all the details on how the granite structure was built, but it was a huge effort!
Life as a Dormitory
From 1836 to 1859, the Old Stone House was a busy place. It served as a dormitory for both boys and girls who attended the school. Imagine living there with all your classmates!
Sadly, fewer students started coming to the school. Because of this, Athenian Hall closed its doors in 1859. For a short time, Alexander Twilight's wife, Mercy Ladd Merrill Twilight, continued to live there with a few boarders. She later moved away in 1865.
Saving the Stone House
The building stayed empty for many years. Then, in 1918, the Stone House was put up for auction. A railroad company wanted to buy it to use the granite stones for bridge supports.
But the Orleans County Historical Society stepped in! They bid $500 to save the building. That was like $9728 in today's money. The Historical Society won the auction and saved the Old Stone House!
The building officially opened as a museum in 1925. An old barn attached to it was taken down in the 1920s.
The Museum Today
Today, the Old Stone House Museum has four floors. There are twenty-two rooms filled with exhibits! These exhibits tell the story of the last two centuries in Orleans County, Vermont.
The museum also celebrates the life of Alexander Twilight. He was not only the first African-American college graduate in the U.S. but also a state legislator. It's a great place to learn about local history and an inspiring person!
