1802 Brick Schoolhouse
In the Forefather's Burying Ground
The first schoolhouse in Chelmsford was built in 1718, and before 1800 there were 12 district schools. They grew in size, and then the North and Center Schools got high school departments. In 1916 a central high school began classes, and many students were transported there. As of 1955, Chelmsford had the North School, Center School, Westlands, and a six- year high school which occupied two buildings. Now, we have four elementary schools (Center, South Row, Byam, and Harrington), two middle schools
(McCarthy and Parker), and one high school (Chelmsford High).
The 1802 Brick Schoolhouse is on the site of Chelmsford’s first school house and was once used by famous teachers such as Willard Parker. He later became a well-known physicist who helped found the Academy of Medicine. In 1851 this schoolhouse was used by Anna E. Hunt for bible classes, and later it was used to store tools for the cemetery.