Guilford Historical Society

Historian's Corner The First Cemetery by Thomas Gray, Guilford Town Historian We always buried our dead even if we had no grave or gravestone in a cemetery for them. ... Many of our first settlers of what would become Guilford Center brought their wives and children with them. It was Daniel Dickinson who made it through the wilderness to find his new land. He brought with him his wife and children. See more

Donate to GHS We love receiving donations from our community members, past or present. The donations we receive are carefully preserved and placed in our museum. The Guilford Historical Society and History Museum would not exist if it weren’t for the gracious donations made by people like you! If you or anyone you know has a contribution, we are always grateful for any historical items or monetary donations for building maintenance. Please contact us to make a donation. Thank you! Contact our Town Historian: Tom Gray at [email protected]

Historian's Corner First Schoolhouse by Thomas Gray, Guilford Town Historian Looking at the early development of the Hamlet of Guilford in Smith's History of Chenango County, we find across the road from the Presbyterian Church the first schoolhouse. The original building built in 1828 was an Academy (select school & public meetings) on the top floor and a common school on the bottom floor.... The building was 36 by 24 feet with a chimney in the rear. John Latham, Dauphin Murray, Rufus Baldwin John Whiting, Daniel S. Dickinson, Calvin Mills and Phineas Atwater were elected trustees. They contracted Horace Dresser to teach in the common school for one year for $75 and board. In 1844 the Academy was discontinued. The building was then only used as a district schoolhouse. The building was repaired and as you see in the photo the two story building was now only one story. But the memories of the Academy persist. Students desirous of not just getting out of school but to make themselves helpful and caring in the world and wanting to make themselves great. Daniel Dickinson in the Academy was one of them. He wrote, Let's make ourselves great again.