The Town of Mount Washington, MA, engaged AHF to analyze the feasibility of relocating and restoring their historic one-room school building. We partnered with DBVW Architects to assess potential relocation sites in the town center, to recommend a suitable building program, and to generate cost estimates. In 2023, we provided further real estate and preservation guidance as the project proponents prepared a Massachusetts Cultural Council Capital Grant application which will launch the next phase of the property’s re-birth.
From 1868-1942, this charming structure served as one of the most remote schools in Massachusetts. Generations of Mount Washington residents learned and taught in the building before its conversion, briefly, into a library. Now vacant, it numbers among only 400 one-room schoolhouses remaining in the country, down from a total of 190,000. The building interior is a time capsule offering a glimpse into the history of rural education: child-sized desks with inkwells and adjustable chairs line the walls beneath chalkboards; spelling cards are scattered across the teacher’s desk; an American flag is mounted near the back door.
