Hood Octagonal School, Newtown Township, Pennsylvania, a property listed on the NRHP
Hood Octagonal School is a small schoolhouse in Newtown Township, Pennsylvania, distinguished by its eight-sided shape rather than the typical rectangular form. The building features fieldstone walls, high windows to provide natural light, and a wooden shingled roof characteristic of mid-1800s construction.
James Dunwoody built this school in 1842 as a replacement for an earlier log school his father Joseph had constructed with neighbors. The building served the community until around 1865 when it fell into disuse, remaining abandoned until its restoration in 1964 and listing on the National Register of Historic Places in 2006.
The school carries the name of William Hood Dunwoody, a notable student whose family shaped the area for generations. Visitors can see how education served as a gathering point for rural families and how this building represented learning opportunities in isolated communities.
The site is located in Newtown Square on West Chester Pike within the Dunwoody Village grounds, accessible to visitors who want to experience the quiet, rural setting. Educational events are held here where costumed interpreters demonstrate how lessons were taught in the 1800s, allowing modern learners to engage with historical practices.
The building was designed by architect Richard Ashbridge Yarnall, who chose the octagonal shape to use space more efficiently and distinguish it from typical school buildings of the era. A notable former student, William Hood Dunwoody (after whom the school is named), later migrated westward and became prosperous through his work with a flour company.
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