Skip To Main Content
A group of people, dressed in formal attire, are standing in front of a yellow wooden building with a tower on top, surrounded by a grassy area.
Brentwood Historic Schoolhouse Reopens After Decades of Restoration

Brentwood’s oldest schoolhouse officially reopened on Oct. 10, completing a decades-long restoration that preserves a unique piece of the community’s history. 

“I can’t say enough about the support and generosity shown by the current school district, Board and administration,” said Ellen Edelstein, president of the Brentwood Historical Society, at the ribbon cutting. “Through their vision and partnership with the Historical Society, this stubborn little building is now restored. It will be available to the children of Brentwood so that they may learn and appreciate the history of Modern Times, the Utopian community that created the basis for the diverse and welcoming hamlet of Brentwood. Hopefully, it will be a beacon to others to come and learn about us, appreciate us, and recognize us for all we have to offer.” 

The octagonal Modern Times Schoolhouse, built in 1857 by members of the utopian Modern Times settlement, had fallen into disrepair over more than a century. The settlement, home to roughly 150 residents on 90 acres of what is now Brentwood, was known for its egalitarian values, including women’s suffrage and the absence of a formal justice system, taxes or money. 

The building served as a school until 1907 and later as a private residence. It was donated to the Brentwood Union Free School District by the private owners and moved to district property near the administration building in 1989. Restoration efforts began in the 1990s, led by the Brentwood Historical Society after it was chartered in 1992. 

Now fully restored, the schoolhouse will serve as both an educational resource and a museum. Students from Brentwood will have opportunities to explore the history of Modern Times and the evolution of education in the area. The building also provides a destination for community members and visitors to connect with local history. 

The Modern Times Schoolhouse is listed on both the State and National Registers of Historic Places and is expected to become a centerpiece for learning and cultural enrichment in the Brentwood community. 

“We take pride in being among the very few districts with its historic schoolhouse preserved on its own ground, a powerful symbol of pride, perseverance and a deep respect for history,” Superintendent Wanda Ortiz- Rivera said. “Like this schoolhouse, Brentwood stands strong, resilient, rooted and always rising.” 

The image shows a group of five people standing in front of an older yellow schoolhouse
A wooden church or chapel nestled in a forested area, with a bell tower and a dirt path leading up to the entrance.
A small, wooden church surrounded by a crowd of people, set against a backdrop of trees and a hazy, sepia-toned landscape.
Two small, ornate structures with domed roofs sit on a green cloth, surrounded by various papers and documents.
A large group of people, both seated and standing, gathered in what appears to be a community or meeting hall, with various flags and posters visible in the background.
A woman stands at a podium in front of an audience, with an American flag and a display screen showing a building in the background.
The image shows a group of people gathered in front of a podium, with a historic building and a Puerto Rican flag visible in the background.
A group of people, some in formal attire, gathered around the entrance of a yellow wooden building, engaged in what appears to be a formal or ceremonial event.
A group of people, some wearing colorful outfits, standing in front of a yellow building with a wooden door.
A chalkboard displaying numbers and an American flag hanging on the wall in a room with a sconce light fixture.
A group of people, including several men and women, are standing in front of a chalkboard with writing on it, with an American flag and a portrait of a man on the wall behind them.
A group of five individuals, including both men and women, are standing together in a classroom setting, with an American flag and a chalkboard visible in the background.
A group of three people standing in front of a yellow wooden building with a cupola on a grassy field under a blue sky with clouds.
A group of people, both men and women, are standing together in a classroom setting with an American flag and a chalkboard in the background.
A group of five individuals, three men and two women, standing in front of an American flag and a chalkboard in what appears to be an educational or professional setting.
A group of people, both men and women, standing together in front of an American flag and a chalkboard in what appears to be an educational setting.