National Register of Historic Places

East Otis Schoolhouse

Otis, Berkshire County, Massachusetts
Listed
May 27, 2021
Type
Building
Period
Industrial
Ref No.
100006595

About this property

The East Otis Schoolhouse is a historic school building at 2 Old Blandford Road in Otis, Massachusetts. Built before 1856, the one-room schoolhouse served the town until 1949, after which time it has sat largely vacant and unused. The building, a modest example of a Greek Revival district school, was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2021. The East Otis Schoolhouse stands in the small rural village of East Otis, on a rise overlooking the junction of Old Blandford Road, Pike Street, and Massachusetts Route 23. It is a single-story wood frame structure, with a gabled metal roof and clapboarded exterior. The boxed eaves with plain frieze below are suggestive of the Greek Revival style. The main facade has a pair of sash windows flanking the main entrance, which is sheltered by a gabled hood. The exact construction date of the building is not known; it is first documented to be standing on a map published in 1858. The land on which it stands was donated by local farmer Alden Soule, who also gave land for a church that stood next door. The school served the town as a district school house, generally with a multi-grade population of 15 or fewer students. It underwent a number of modest alterations as increasing standards for schools demanded, before it was finally closed in 1949 with the opening of the Otis Center School. Alterations include the addition of an enclosed privy area, and the removal of the building's chimney. It has stood vacant and largely unused since then. National Register of Historic Places listings in Berkshire County, Massachusetts

Location

2 Old Blandford Rd.
Otis, Berkshire County, Massachusetts
42.17183, -73.03390

Categories

ARCHITECTUREEDUCATION
Sources

Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).

Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

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Nearby Historic Sites

First Congregational Church of Blandford
Industrial
5.4 mi
Montville Baptist Church
Industrial
5.5 mi
New Boston Inn
Industrial
5.8 mi
Jacob's Pillow Dance Festival
Listed
7.4 mi
Jacob's Pillow Dance Festival
Modern
7.6 mi

Questions about this property

When was East Otis Schoolhouse listed on the National Register?

East Otis Schoolhouse was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on May 27, 2021.

What type of historic resource is East Otis Schoolhouse?

East Otis Schoolhouse is classified as a building in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for East Otis Schoolhouse?

The period of significance for East Otis Schoolhouse is recorded as the industrial era.

Can I research the history near East Otis Schoolhouse?

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