Red Brick School House
Circa 1900
One year before Davy Crockett fell at the 1836 Battle of the Alamo, the Red Brick School house was built. The red bricks used in the construction were from local clay thought to be from West Sterling.
The following information is condensed from Sterling Historical Society resources, newspaper clippings and members recollections.
Originally built to replace the Center School, which had been located in the first town hall, from land purchased from Augustus Holcomb, son of Rev. Reuben Holcomb, the town’s second minster.
The school gave the name to the street on which it is built. School classes were held there until 1883, when the new high school was built, now occupied by the light department offices.
The period of 1899-1900 saw it being used as a store operated by Ella Estabrook.
In 1900 Ralph Hadley had a small print shop in an addition built on the north side of the building. There he published a short lived weekly paper for Sterling called, “Rural Post”.
1904 saw a grocery store operating at the building. A telephone exchange was installed three years latter in 1907.
In 1908, the north room was renovated for classroom use and a few years later the south room was also repaired for a classroom. It was used as a schoolhouse for the beginning grades until 1935 when the Butterick School was opened as a consolidated school.
The building was abandoned as a school house until 1952 when it was reopened as a classroom for the first grades, taught by Mrs. Landis and Mrs. Barton.
In 1957 it was abandoned again for classroom use a final time, as Sterling opened its next consolidated school, the Houghton School.
The buildings uncertain fate was decided in 1961. Hiram O. Taylor American Legion Post 189, was deeded the property on March 29th of the same year by the Sterling voters.
In 1992 the building was again facing a tough future when the Council on Aging, which had contributed to the upkeep of the post with its rental payments, moved to the basement of the Butterick School, now converted to town offices.
Without the additional rental revenue, the post struggled, but was able to prevail in paying our overhead and continue in its service to the community.
The Red Brick School House continues to be under our auspices.
A restoration project funded with grant money has been an ongoing process, started and overseen by the post building committee.
Meetings are held the 1st Monday of the month and there is a friendly game of cards every Wednesday afternoon at 1pm.
Our membership exceeds 150 veterans. Included in our ranks are veterans who have served in and during wars and conflicts from; WWII, Korea, Vietnam, Grenada, Panama, Persian Gulf, Iraq, and Afghanistan.
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