Epping in Rockingham County, New Hampshire — The American Northeast (New England)

Watson Academy

1883

Photographed by Duane and Tracy Marsteller, October 2, 2024

1. Watson Academy Marker

Inscription. This property has been placed on the National Register of Historic Places by the United States Department of the Interior

Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Architecture • Education. In addition, it is included in the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) series list. A significant historical year for this entry is 1883.

Location. 43° 2.601′ N, 71° 4.512′ W. Marker is in Epping, New Hampshire, in Rockingham County. It is on Academy Street 0.1 miles west of Main Street, on the right when traveling west. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 17 Academy St, Epping NH 03042, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is on New Hampshire’s Seacoast. It is also in the American Northeast,

in New England,

and on the Eastern Seaboard. Globally, it is in the North Atlantic Region,

North America,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once one of the original Thirteen Colonies.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 5 miles of this

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marker, measured as the crow flies: Nottingham Square (approx. 4½ miles away); Glidden-Towle-Edgerly House (approx. 4.7 miles away); Spaulding & Frost Cooperage (approx. 4.9 miles away); Historic Black Rocks Village / Historic Fremont, N.H.-Olde Poplin (approx. 5 miles away); John Prescott Lovering's Inn (approx. 5 miles away); Civil War Riot of 1861 (approx. 5 miles away); Meeting House and Hearse House (approx. 5 miles away); Fremont Village Cemetery (approx. 5 miles away).

Regarding Watson Academy. Excerpts from the National Register nomination:

Daniel Watson Ladd, a prominent Epping merchant and businessman, was the first to recognize the need for a local secondary school in the Epping community. Upon his death in 1874, Ladd bequeathed the sum of $3,000.00 to be held in trust for the establishment and maintenance of “… an Academy for the instruction of youth, in Epping” … The terms of the endowment also stipulated that the school be known as Watson Academy in honor of Ladd's adopted parents, the Watsons.…

The building committee subsequently retained the architectural services of Charles E. Joy, a Dover, New Hampshire architect
Photographed by Duane and Tracy Marsteller, October 2, 2024

2. Watson Academy Marker
who is responsible for the design of the existing structure. Construction of the school was undertaken by the general contracting firm of Beede & Shaw of Dover in 1883 at a total cost of $4,738.84, exclusive of site and furnishings.

In compliance with the terms of the Ladd will, the newly constructed building was leased to the appointed Academy trustees for a period of five years. The school then reverted to town control and subsequently served as the Epping Public High School from 1888 to 1966.

Also see . . . Watson Academy (PDF). National Register nomination for the former school, which was listed in 1982. (Prepared by Kathryn M. Kuranda, Strafford Rockingham Regional Council; via National Park Service) (Submitted on November 13, 2024, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee.)

Photographed by Duane and Tracy Marsteller, October 2, 2024

3. Watson Academy Marker

Credits. This page was last revised on November 13, 2024. It was originally submitted on November 13, 2024, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee. This page has been viewed 176 times since then and 26 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on November 13, 2024, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee.