Orange Historical Society
Orange, Connecticut
The Academy Museum
The
stately
white
clapboard
building
on
the
east
side
of
the
Orange
green
is
known
as
The
Academy.
It
is
the
second
two-story
structure
to
stand
at
this
location.
The
first
was
built
in
1812
as
a
school
for
students
who
paid
a
small
tuition,
hence
the
name
The
Academy.
Classes
were
held
on
the
second
floor,
while
the
first
floor
was
used
as
an
assembly
room.
In
1878,
this
first
building
was
moved
and
a
new
structure
of
similar
design
was
built
on
the
same
site
for
use
as
a
high
school;
it
later
became
the
Orange
Town
Hall
and
housed
the
town
court
as
well.
When
the
present
Town
Hall
was
completed
in
1967,
The
Academy
was
turned
over
to
the
Orange
Board
of
Education,
which
occupied
the building until 1989, when it was leased to the Orange Historical Society.
The
Academy
also
houses
the
Mary
Rebecca
Woodruff
Research
Center,
which
is
the
largest
repository
of
Orange
Historical
materials.
Appointments
can
be
made
for
scholarly
research
visits
and
the
staff
also
welcomes
serious
inquiries
by phone or email.
The
visitor
will
find
a
host
of
materials
including
primary
source
documents,
artifacts,
photographs
and
negatives,
maps,
historical
newspapers
and
clippings,
scrapbooks,
and
municipal
documents
such
as
tax,
school,
voting
and
property
records.
The
latter
may
be
supplemented
by
a
short
walk
over
to
the Orange Town Hall.
Special
subject
strengths
include
the
Woodruff
and
Clark
seed
companies,
Emily
Prudden,
Tyler
City,
and
the
New
Haven
&
Derby
Railroad.
The Academy through the years...
At Left: The Academy from postcard with inscription "Orange Conn. High School, June 30 1905 - Eva."
Mary
Rebecca
Woodruff
(seated,
front
row,
second
from
left),
author
of
The
History
of
Orange,
poses
for
a
high-school
graduation
photo in front of The Academy in 1891.
Over
a
century
later,
the
building
forms
the
backdrop
for
a
similar
scene,
with
OHS
President Ginny Reinhard and a tour group.
Historical Displays at The Academy
Olde School Days!
Schoolmarm
Reinhard
holds
class
in
The
Academy
School
Room.
Young
scholars
sit
in
a
historic
classroom setting, replete with period furniture, chalkboards, and antique stove.
Bryan Andrew
The Academy House
The
stately
white
clapboard
building
on
the
east
side
of
the
Orange
green
is
known
as
The
Academy.
It
is
the
second
two-story
structure
to
stand
at
this
location.
The
first
was
built
in
1812
as
a
school
for
students
who
paid
a
small
tuition,
hence
the
name
The
Academy.
Classes
were
held
on
the
second
floor,
while
the
first
floor
was
used
as
an
assembly
room.
In
1878,
this
first
building
was
moved
and
a
new
structure
of
similar
design
was
built
on
the
same
site
for
use
as
a
high
school;
it
later
became
the
Orange
Town
Hall
and
housed
the
town
court
as
well.
When
the
present
Town
Hall
was
completed
in
1967,
The
Academy
was
turned
over
to
the
Orange
Board
of
Education,
which
occupied
the
building
until
1989,
when
it
was
leased
to the Orange Historical Society.
The
Academy
also
houses
the
Mary
Rebecca
Woodruff
Research
Center,
which
is
the
largest
repository
of
Orange
Historical
materials.
Appointments
can
be
made
for
scholarly
research
visits
and
the
staff
also
welcomes
serious
inquiries
by
phone or email.
The
visitor
will
find
a
host
of
materials
including
primary
source
documents,
artifacts,
photographs
and
negatives,
maps,
historical
newspapers
and
clippings,
scrapbooks,
and
municipal
documents
such
as
tax,
school,
voting
and
property
records.
The
latter
may
be
supplemented
by
a
short
walk
over
to
the
Orange
Town Hall.
Special
subject
strengths
include
the
Woodruff
and
Clark
seed
companies,
Emily
Prudden,
Tyler
City,
and
the New Haven & Derby Railroad.
The Academy through the years...
The
Academy
from
postcard
with
inscription
"Orange
Conn.
High
School,
June
30
1905
-
Eva."
Mary
Rebecca
Woodruff
(seated,
front
row,
second
from
left),
author
of
The
History
of
Orange,
poses
for
a
high-school
graduation
photo
in
front
of
The
Academy
in
1891.
Over
a
century
later,
the
building
forms
the
backdrop
for
a
similar
scene,
with
OHS
President
Ginny
Reinhard
and
a tour group.
Historical Displays at The Academy
Olde School Days!
Schoolmarm
Reinhard
holds
class
in
The
Academy
School
Room.
Young
scholars
sit
in
a
historic
classroom
setting,
replete
with
period
furniture,
chalkboards, and antique stove.
Orange Historical Society
Orange, Connecticut
Bryan Andrew
