The Avon Historical Society welcomes the public to a family-friendly OPEN HOUSE of the 1865 Pine Grove Schoolhouse, 3 Harris Street (West Avon Road/Route 167) on Sunday, May 5, from 1:00-4:00 pm.  After that, it will be open to the public every Sunday through September from 1:00 pm – 4:00 pm.

The 1865 Pine Grove Schoolhouse is listed on the National Register of Historic Places as part of a district with four other properties. Each year since 1976, the Avon Historical Society has opened the building to the public for the summer tourist season. Volunteers act as “greeters” on Sundays in
the summer. Sundays are available for anyone wishing to volunteer to greet visitors. Contact the Society at [email protected] or leave a message at 860-678-7621.

The Pine Grove Schoolhouse, listed on the National Register of Historic Places, was built in 1865 as Schoolhouse No. 7 and still stands in its original location. The Town of Avon owns it. It was in use as a school for 84 years until 1949. It then became a nursery school, a branch of the town library, and a meeting place for the Boy Scouts Explorer Troop 122. In accordance with a long-term lease from the Town of Avon, the Avon Historical Society restored the building in 1976 and interprets it as a schoolhouse of 1900 with bolted desks, hand slates, textbooks, and other educational memorabilia of the time.

“For the past 48 years (except during the pandemic), visitors have enjoyed learning about our local history, and we encourage all residents to bring their family and friends this summer to see this lovely 19th-century schoolhouse,” said Terri Wilson, president. During the pandemic, the Society installed a Little Free Library next to the schoolhouse that is available 24/7. Books for all ages are contained inside, and everyone is welcome to take a book/share a book as they would like. In addition, a National Register of Historic Places roadside marker, donated by the William G. Pomeroy Foundation, was installed on the front of the property. The Pomeroy Foundation supports celebrating and preserving community history nationwide through its roadside marker grant program.

Over the past fifteen years, work has been ongoing on-site. Thanks to foundations, local companies and private donors, the Society continues the upkeep of this beautiful historic treasure. For example, lead paint was remediated from the exterior in 2009 thanks to a grant from the former Farmington Savings Bank Foundation. The 100-year-old outhouse was restored and placed near its original location in 2012 thanks to a grant from J&A Construction. Locally quarried stone steps were added to the side door. With donations of a grant from CT Trust for Historic Preservation (now Preservation Connecticut), a local McDonald’s franchisee, and very generous individual donors, 112 panes of 19th-century glass were restored in the windows in 2014. All this was timed to have the building ready for its 150th birthday celebration in 2015, where former students and their families enjoyed an afternoon of reminiscences and storytelling. In 2022, a donor funded the purchase of period-appropriate electrical scone lighting similar to what was used early in the 20th century.

Just last summer in 2023, the Society had the exterior painted white and the trim painted the original dark green.

For more information on this site and to watch a video about the schoolhouse and West Avon filmed during the pandemic, visit: https://avonhistoricalsociety.org/pine-grove-schoolhouse/

For those interested in local history and genealogy, they are encouraged to visit the Marian Hunter History Room at the Avon Free Public Library, 281 Country Club Road, by making an appointment at 860-673-9712.