Spencertown Academy
Encyclopedia
The former Spencertown Academy is located along the NY 203
state highway
in Spencertown
, New York, United States. It is a mid-19th century building in the Greek Revival
architectural style
.
Founded as a private school for teacher training, it eventually became a public school. It continued to be used in that capacity until 1970. Three years later it was listed on the National Register of Historic Places
. It is currently used as an arts center.
, along the north side of Route 203. It is on a slight rise above road level, surrounded by woods on two of its three sides.
It is two stories tall, three bays
wide by five deep, on a stone foundation
with a gable
d roof pierced by a belfry
at the south end and a brick chimney at the north. It is sided
in clapboard
on the sides and rear and flushboard on the front. There is a fire escape
on the rear.
The south (front) elevation has a pediment
ed portico
with four fluted
columns topped with Ionic
capitals
. A single rectangular window is located in the entablature
. The pilaster
s at the corners of the walls are done as imitation antae, and the front entrance has a classically styled architrave
. Pilasters also frame the louver
ed vents on the hip roofed
belfry.
Inside, the first floor has two rooms. Upstairs is a library and auditorium.
, for a school to train teachers for the region. The land was purchased for $224 ($ in contemporary dollars). Local builder Benjamin Ambler did the construction for $2,459 ($ in contemporary dollars). It was opened and dedicated in October 1847.
In 1863 some small repairs were done. Ten years later, it became a public school. Four decades later, in the 1910s and '20s, the only major physical changes were made to the building. The front porch was resurfaced in concrete in 1915, and the first story divided a decade later when modern heating and plumbing were added.
The newly formed Chatham Central School District took over control of the academy in 1955. It discontinued use of the building 15 years later. Two years later, local citizens formed the Spencertown Academy Society to save the building. It was originally intended to be reused
as a community center, but since then has become the Spencertown Academy Arts Center, with galleries and studios and an auditorium for local visual and performing arts.
New York State Route 203
New York State Route 203 is a state highway in the Capital District of New York in the United States. It begins at an intersection with NY 22 in the Columbia County hamlet of Austerlitz and ends at a junction with US 20 in the Rensselaer County village of Nassau. NY 203 was...
state highway
State highway
State highway, state road or state route can refer to one of three related concepts, two of them related to a state or provincial government in a country that is divided into states or provinces :#A...
in Spencertown
Austerlitz, New York
Austerlitz is a town in Columbia County, New York, United States. The population was 1,453 at the 2000 census. The town was named after the Battle of Austerlitz.The Town of Austerlitz is in the east part of Columbia County.- History :Ellis, Capt...
, New York, United States. It is a mid-19th century building in the Greek Revival
Greek Revival architecture
The Greek Revival was an architectural movement of the late 18th and early 19th centuries, predominantly in Northern Europe and the United States. A product of Hellenism, it may be looked upon as the last phase in the development of Neoclassical architecture...
architectural style
Architectural style
Architectural styles classify architecture in terms of the use of form, techniques, materials, time period, region and other stylistic influences. It overlaps with, and emerges from the study of the evolution and history of architecture...
.
Founded as a private school for teacher training, it eventually became a public school. It continued to be used in that capacity until 1970. Three years later it was listed on the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
. It is currently used as an arts center.
Building
The building is located just northeast of Spencertown, the small center of the Town of AusterlitzAusterlitz, New York
Austerlitz is a town in Columbia County, New York, United States. The population was 1,453 at the 2000 census. The town was named after the Battle of Austerlitz.The Town of Austerlitz is in the east part of Columbia County.- History :Ellis, Capt...
, along the north side of Route 203. It is on a slight rise above road level, surrounded by woods on two of its three sides.
It is two stories tall, three bays
Bay (architecture)
A bay is a unit of form in architecture. This unit is defined as the zone between the outer edges of an engaged column, pilaster, or post; or within a window frame, doorframe, or vertical 'bas relief' wall form.-Defining elements:...
wide by five deep, on a stone foundation
Foundation (architecture)
A foundation is the lowest and supporting layer of a structure. Foundations are generally divided into two categories: shallow foundations and deep foundations.-Shallow foundations:...
with a gable
Gable
A gable is the generally triangular portion of a wall between the edges of a sloping roof. The shape of the gable and how it is detailed depends on the structural system being used and aesthetic concerns. Thus the type of roof enclosing the volume dictates the shape of the gable...
d roof pierced by a belfry
Bell tower
A bell tower is a tower which contains one or more bells, or which is designed to hold bells, even if it has none. In the European tradition, such a tower most commonly serves as part of a church and contains church bells. When attached to a city hall or other civic building, especially in...
at the south end and a brick chimney at the north. It is sided
Siding
Siding is the outer covering or cladding of a house meant to shed water and protect from the effects of weather. On a building that uses siding, it may act as a key element in the aesthetic beauty of the structure and directly influence its property value....
in clapboard
Clapboard (architecture)
Clapboard, also known as bevel siding or lap siding or weather-board , is a board used typically for exterior horizontal siding that has one edge thicker than the other and where the board above laps over the one below...
on the sides and rear and flushboard on the front. There is a fire escape
Fire escape
A fire escape is a special kind of emergency exit, usually mounted to the outside of a building or occasionally inside but separate from the main areas of the building. It provides a method of escape in the event of a fire or other emergency that makes the stairwells inside a building inaccessible...
on the rear.
The south (front) elevation has a pediment
Pediment
A pediment is a classical architectural element consisting of the triangular section found above the horizontal structure , typically supported by columns. The gable end of the pediment is surrounded by the cornice moulding...
ed portico
Portico
A portico is a porch leading to the entrance of a building, or extended as a colonnade, with a roof structure over a walkway, supported by columns or enclosed by walls...
with four fluted
Fluting (architecture)
Fluting in architecture refers to the shallow grooves running vertically along a surface.It typically refers to the grooves running on a column shaft or a pilaster, but need not necessarily be restricted to those two applications...
columns topped with Ionic
Ionic order
The Ionic order forms one of the three orders or organizational systems of classical architecture, the other two canonic orders being the Doric and the Corinthian...
capitals
Capital (architecture)
In architecture the capital forms the topmost member of a column . It mediates between the column and the load thrusting down upon it, broadening the area of the column's supporting surface...
. A single rectangular window is located in the entablature
Entablature
An entablature refers to the superstructure of moldings and bands which lie horizontally above columns, resting on their capitals. Entablatures are major elements of classical architecture, and are commonly divided into the architrave , the frieze ,...
. The pilaster
Pilaster
A pilaster is a slightly-projecting column built into or applied to the face of a wall. Most commonly flattened or rectangular in form, pilasters can also take a half-round form or the shape of any type of column, including tortile....
s at the corners of the walls are done as imitation antae, and the front entrance has a classically styled architrave
Architrave
An architrave is the lintel or beam that rests on the capitals of the columns. It is an architectural element in Classical architecture.-Classical architecture:...
. Pilasters also frame the louver
Louver
A louver or louvre , from the French l'ouvert; "the open one") is a window, blind or shutter with horizontal slats that are angled to admit light and air, but to keep out rain, direct sunshine, and noise...
ed vents on the hip roofed
Hip roof
A hip roof, or hipped roof, is a type of roof where all sides slope downwards to the walls, usually with a fairly gentle slope. Thus it is a house with no gables or other vertical sides to the roof. A square hip roof is shaped like a pyramid. Hip roofs on the houses could have two triangular side...
belfry.
Inside, the first floor has two rooms. Upstairs is a library and auditorium.
History
The academy was incorporated by an act of the state legislature in 1845, after extended lobbying by the Rev. Timothy Woodbridge, pastor of the nearby St. Peter's Presbyterian ChurchSt. Peter's Presbyterian Church
St. Peter's Presbyterian Church is located at the junction of New York State Route 203 and South Street in Spencertown, New York, United States. It is a tall frame building in a style similar to those found in New England, the native region of many of the area's original 18th century settlers...
, for a school to train teachers for the region. The land was purchased for $224 ($ in contemporary dollars). Local builder Benjamin Ambler did the construction for $2,459 ($ in contemporary dollars). It was opened and dedicated in October 1847.
In 1863 some small repairs were done. Ten years later, it became a public school. Four decades later, in the 1910s and '20s, the only major physical changes were made to the building. The front porch was resurfaced in concrete in 1915, and the first story divided a decade later when modern heating and plumbing were added.
The newly formed Chatham Central School District took over control of the academy in 1955. It discontinued use of the building 15 years later. Two years later, local citizens formed the Spencertown Academy Society to save the building. It was originally intended to be reused
Adaptive reuse
Adaptive reuse refers to the process of reusing an old site or building for a purpose other than which it was built or designed for. Along with brownfield reclamation, adaptive reuse is seen by many as a key factor in land conservation and the reduction of urban sprawl...
as a community center, but since then has become the Spencertown Academy Arts Center, with galleries and studios and an auditorium for local visual and performing arts.