Newtown Historical Society, Inc.

Please join the Middle Gate PTA in helping to raise funds to have the windows at the Little Red Schoolhouse repaired properly to the times. Vandals recently broke 3 windows at the historic school house that sits on the grounds of Middle Gate Elementary School. At Middle Gate, we have a tradition, every year the 2nd Grade class visits the school house to learn around the history around it and what school was like in the 1800's and students are encouraged to dress in the times. Please help us support the Newtown Historical Society so the repairs can be completed for current and future students to enjoy this experience and so this historical treasure can continued to be enjoyed by our Newtown community. Thank you in advance for your generosity!

Some additional information on the history of the school house:

"The Newtown Historical Society maintains the "Little Red Schoolhouse" at Middle Gate School - a genuine one-room schoolhouse built in 1850. The schoolhouse is the second building for the Bear Hills District. It replaced the original building which was built in 1783. The Bear Hills District was briefly joined with the Huntingtown school district from 1795-1798 before splitting again as the town grew and the local schoolhouses multiplied. The name "Bear Hills" was changed around 1802 when the Newtown-Bridgeport Turnpike was opened. The road would later become Route 25 in 1932. The school stood on the north side of Toll Gate Hill. Since the middle toll gate was on the south side of the hill on the Monroe border, the school became the Middle Gate School. In 1973 the Newtown Historical Society was given the Little Red Schoolhouse with the provision that it be moved from its original site. It was subsequently relocated to the front lawn of the present Middle Gate Elementary School on Cold Spring Road where it stands today."

The Newtown Historical Society has long partnered with the current Middle Gate Elementary School to host the 2nd grade classes at the schoolhouse for a day of learning. This long standing tradition has influenced generations of Newtown students - transporting them back in time in an immersive way! The Historical Society offers an open house once a year for the general public to visit the schoolhouse and recently, in partnership with Newtown Public Schools, planted a tree in memory of former Town Historian, Dan Cruson, whose mission was to bring history to life for learners of all ages through his research and presentations.