Spencertown Academy

The lovely Greek revival building that houses The Spencertown Academy was built in 1847 as an Academy for the training of young men and women to become teachers. It was founded by Dr. Timothy Woodbridge, who was pastor of Saint Peter's Church across the Village Green from the Academy. Woodbridge was a grandson of Stockbridge preacher Jonathan Edwards and a cousin of Aaron Burr. Woodbridge became blind while studying at Williams College. The money to build the Academy was raised by Dr. Woodbridge from members of the community. The Academy was designed and built by Benjamin Ambler.

In about 1879 the Academy became a Union Free School, a two-room schoolhouse for the children of Spencertown grades one through eight. It remained a school until 1970 when the children were bussed into Chatham.

In 1972, seeking to save the classic building, a group of concerned citizens and artists formed the Spencertown Academy Society and established cultural center which serves the community with arts events, classes and exhibits, and has also been restoring the building which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

The Spencertown Academy Arts Center is located in Spencertown, N.Y., a tiny village set in the rural countryside of Columbia County in the foothills of the Berkshire Mountains. In its lovely 1840's Greek Revival schoolhouse, the Academy presents concerts, readings, and fine art and crafts exhibits as well as arts-related workshops and classes.