Main Street Dorm (Doe House, Sargent House, the Original
Eventually, it became known as Haines House and is still a dormitory
Infirmary), Acquired 1895
today.
In 1854, this house was built as a residence for Bradstreet Doe Jr. and his family. It’s not known when the ell and porch were added, but in the mid 1800s, porches were being built onto homes at the time of construction.
During World War II, Principal Rogers used the second floor of Haines barn to raise a flock of chickens in order to save some money and provide
Their location depended on the best view.
eggs and chicken for the school dining table. Since teachers who lived on
In 1895, as the new Academy was being established, Arthur Estabrook
the boarding students, a top priority was keeping the dining hall kitchen
purchased the house to become part of the expanding Brewster
campus were permitted to take all of their meals in the dining hall with well supplied. The coop in Haines barn was big enough to nest a great
campus.
number of chickens and to provide the cook with eggs and poultry. After
For many years this house was known as Sargent House honoring
space. Over the years, the barn has lost its farm-like character and the
World War II, the barn no longer housed chickens but was used as storage
Herbert E. Sargent who lived there with his family for over 50 years and who taught math and science and had a keen interest in agriculture. Located behind the house were several apple trees. The Bradstreet Doe, Jr. family may have planted them, but the tree closest to The Estabrook is thought to have been planted by Sargent and still bears fruit today. In 1965 Sargent House became the infirmary and residence for the nurse and family. A low stonewall was built on the west side of the house in 1988, and during the summer of 1991, teachers Timothy Radley and Jason Thatcher closed in the porch on the east side. Later a full dormer was
lingering aromas of barn life. In the summer of 1996 an enclosed stairway at the east end was added to the house as a fire escape, and the attic was transformed into two bedrooms to accommodate more students. Dormers were added on the north and south for more light. In 1996 Jamie Butler ’98 and Kevin Ginest ’96 wanted to improve student life and activities on campus so they approached the headmaster with the idea of creating a climbing gym for students. They saw it as a facility that
added.
could be used by sports programs, dorms, and clubs for team building.
In 2006, the infirmary was moved to the former rectory adjacent to
and the “basecamp” for the Outdoor Skills Program.
Not long after, the Haines barn was transformed into a top-notch facility
Anderson Hall, and the building became the Main Street Dorm with faculty housing.
Today’s Art Building once served many functions, including as an icehouse and boathouse.
Haines House,
circa 1895
Icehouse/Boathouse/Art Center, Acquired 1903 After the original Academy Building burned on November 2, 1903,
Haines House, Acquired 1903
the acquisition of the icehouse/boathouse was critical to the academic
As Arthur Estabrook continued pursuing his acquisition of nearby homes
survival of the school. The sound structure formerly had been the
and buildings, one of the few original homes that remained privately
lakeshore icehouse for the old Pavilion Hotel located where the Civil War
owned was Haines House.
Monument now stands. Easily accessible, it was quickly dragged up to the upper campus by oxen and placed halfway between the Main Building
On January 25, 1854, Joseph Haines and his wife Hannah Fernald, both of
and Kimball House. Often referred to as “Principal Lord’s Boathouse” it
Wolfeboro, purchased a small plot of land and built Haines House where
was used for classroom space which was desperately needed to continue
it sits today. In 1903 Estabrook purchased the land, house, and barn to
with scheduled course work and provided a fine setting to accommodate
serve the needs of the growing Academy. For many years this old house
science classes and chapel meetings while the new Main Building was
was known as “The Annex” and housed several male boarding students.
being constructed.
www.brewsteracademy.org
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