Constructed in 1868 to serve the local schoolchildren in what was then the southern reaches of Groton, Massachusetts, the Sandy Pond Schoolhouse was in active use as an Ayer Public School for almost half a century. Though the Ayer School District closed Sandy Pond School in 1906, the community responded promptly and worked to transform it into a space for reunions and entertainment; the first event was held there in June 1908 – only two years after its closing. Sandy Pond School reunions continued well into the 1940s, organized by a group that would come to be known as the Sandy Pond School Association. The organization still exists today, but has shifted its mission to focus on preserving and interpreting the school’s 150-year history. 

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The one-story schoolhouse is comprised of a gable-end redbrick structure and a wood frame ell at the east side. We were engaged in 2018 to provide preservation structures at the schoolhouse, as funded by a Community Preservation Act grant from the Town of Ayer. The work has included reinforcement of the ceiling framing, replacement of the plaster ceiling, and exterior brick masonry repairs, as well as updates to exterior lighting and alarm systems. 

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Phased construction is ongoing for this project.