Modern Times School
Also known as: District 12 School; Brentwood School
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Approximate location: the National Park Service places this pin arbitrarily within the property, not at a surveyed point (stated accuracy ±12 m).
Why it's listed
Built in 1857, this one-story octagonal schoolhouse served the children of Modern Times, a utopian community founded in 1852 by Josiah Warren and Stephen Pearl Andrews and based on individual sovereignty. The wood-frame building originally had board and batten siding, a hipped roof, a small cupola and a gabled entrance portico. It was used as a school until 1907, then moved and converted into a house, losing its portico and cupola and gaining dormers and a second floor. In 1989 it was donated to the school district and moved to its present site, where a new cupola was built and the structure stabilized. It is the only surviving public building from the Modern Times community, the only surviving octagonal schoolhouse on Long Island, and shows early balloon framing. The octagonal form followed ideas promoted by Orson Fowler and educators of the period. Plans call for restoration and interpretation of local history.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the school is the only surviving public building of the Modern Times utopian community, founded in 1852 by Josiah Warren and Stephen Pearl Andrews. It is the only surviving octagonal schoolhouse on Long Island and one of only eight known octagonal buildings there. Its framing also shows early use of balloon framing technology.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 94001478, listed December 23, 1994. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | Jct. of Third Ave. and First St., Brentwood |
|---|---|
| County | Suffolk County |
| Listed | December 23, 1994 |
| Reference number | 94001478 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1857-1907 |
| Architectural style | Mid-Nineteenth Century/Octagon Mode |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Social History, Education, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Vacant and awaiting restoration after being moved to its current site in 1989; later changes include a new cupola and removal of non-historic siding and chimney. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 40.77666, -73.25392 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
For a publicly owned building or structure, listing mainly matters when federal funds, permits or licences are involved: projects then go through Section 106 review so effects on the property are considered. Listing also strengthens applications for preservation grants and, for leased income-producing uses, can enable the federal rehabilitation tax credit.
Noted as vacant in the nomination. Nomination documents can be decades old; current status may differ. If you are considering buying an empty listed property, read the due-diligence checklist.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 94001478.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q6888904
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.