13-02-2025
The oldest high school in New Hampshire is over 200 years old. Here's its founding story
As one of the original 13 colonies, New Hampshire is home to many historic buildings, from libraries to restaurants to schools - and that does not just apply to the state's longstanding colleges and universities. New Hampshire also has various elementary and high schools that were founded centuries ago.
In fact, the state's oldest high school was founded over 200 years ago. Established in 1814, Pinkerton Academy in Derry is now the largest independent high school in the country.
Here's the story of the first high school in New Hampshire.
According to the school's website, Pinkerton Academy was founded by Londonderry town leaders and brothers, John and James Pinkerton. The state of New Hampshire incorporated the academy on June 15, 1814, and a school building was erected in Derry Village the following year.
When the academy first opened, it was also a boarding school, boarding students from New Hampshire, Maine and Massachusetts with the Pinkertons and other trustee families. Records from 1816 show those early years only saw attendance from 44 boys and 27 girls. Female students were welcome at Pinkerton until 1824, when an all girls school opened in East Derry, and then they were not accepted at Pinkerton again until 1853.
Since it opened with under 100 students in one school building, Pinkerton Academy has grown into a sprawling 170-acre campus with over 20 different buildings. Today, Pinkerton serves over 3,000 students from over 20 towns - making it the largest independent high school in the country.
The school has boasted teaches such as poet Robert Frost and produced alumni like Alan B. Shepard, the first American to travel to space.
This article originally appeared on Portsmouth Herald: What is the oldest high school in NH? The history of Pinkerton Academy
