Little Red Schoolhouse & Hat Shop

This blog entry is part of an ongoing project called “One Room Schoolhouses in CT”).  If you’re interested in the history of one room schoolhouses in CT I suggest you purchase CONNECTICUT SCHOOLHOUSES THROUGH TIME by Melinda K. Elliott. This book was has been a very helpful resource for me as I did my research. At time of writing this book was available on AMAZON.

Smack in the center of Danbury CT sits the Danbury Historical Society. Their are (2) small buildings on their grounds: a one room schoolhouse and the John Dodd Hat Shop. Well, as it turns out, the one room schoolhouse isn’t original at all. I had to admit that first impressions struct me odd because I had never seen a brick one room schoolhouse from the 18th and 19th century. Locals used bricks from a demolished Danbury school and built this replica one room schoolhouse. With whatever desks and artifacts they could find they also reproduced the interior setting which I was unable to photograph through a window due to locked shutters nailed closed. So I was a little disappointed becuase it isn’t authenticate to the era of one room schoolhouses. On the other hand kudo’s to the Town, the Historical Society and their many volunteers that wanted to recreate the school and educate current students to what it must have been like during those times.

The surprises continued as I later learned that the John Dodd Hat Shop was not in fact the John Dodd Hat Shop as the sign said on the exterior cladding. This building was from 1790 and belonged to John Dodd the lawyer. It was eventually acquired by the historical society and artifacts from Danbury’s once thriving hat industry are on display inside.

Nevertheless sitting in the middle of a City of 86,000 people is a glimpse into yesteryear and I’m always a fan of that. I’d love to go back and visit the insides of both these buildings when they are open to the public.

All photographed with a Sony A7RV, 61 mp, mirrorless camera and a Sony 10-18 mm F4 lens as well as a Sony 24-70 F2.8 lens.