Special Museum Exhibit Focuses On Historic Southington School

SOUTHINGTON, CT — The Southington Historical Society has added two Saturday viewing dates for its exhibit highlighting the history of the West Street School, allowing more residents to visit outside the organization's regular Wednesday evening hours.

The exhibit, "The History of West Street School, 1750–1945 – Southington's Original Colonial One-Room Schoolhouse," will be open Saturday, Aug. 1, and Saturday, Aug. 8, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Southington Historical Society, 239 Main St.

The exhibit will also remain open on Wednesdays from 5 to 7 p.m.

The Friends of West Street School Association is using the exhibit to launch a restoration effort for the historic schoolhouse, one of Southington's oldest surviving buildings.

Located at 1432 West St., the West Street School was built around 1750–1760 and served as a one-room schoolhouse for the town's northwest district for nearly 200 years before closing in 1945 following school district consolidation.

The building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1988.

Several original features remain on the property, including a period woodshed and privy.

The schoolhouse now sits about 12 feet above the roadway after West Street was lowered and widened in 1977.

Today, the building is cared for by the Southington Historical Society and the Friends of West Street School, which are working to preserve and restore the colonial-era landmark for future generations.

For more information on the West Street School, click on this link.