Greek Revival
Museum, School

1840  Norfolk Academy

The Norfolk Academy was a private school for boys and girls built in 1840 in the Greek Revival style. The triangular pediment of the gable end evoked the Greek temple form and the ideals of that ancient democracy to which our young country aspired. The school flourished for twenty years under the leadership of William Rice, a graduate of Williams College, and attracted students from as far away as New York. Quarterly tuition ranged from $3 to $5 depending upon the course of instruction. One of the Academy’s most distinguished graduates was the astronomer Asaph Hall, who discovered the moons of Mars. The building was later used as Town Hall, and in the 1920’s it was part of Cora Brown’s popular boarding house Crissey Place (#13). It is now the Norfolk Historical Museum.

Historic District Walking Tour Map Index: 14