The bright red colonial schoolhouse that once had famed American spy Nathan Hale as schoolteacher now sits on the city streets of New London. Although it has been moved from its original location, the Nathan Hale Schoolhouse (19 Atlantic St, New London, CT 06320) still proudly displays and teaches a unique Connecticut and Revolutionary War history.
History
Then known as the Union School of New London, what we now call the Nathan Hale Schoolhouse was built in 1773 at the corner of State and Union Streets (a few blocks from where it now stands).
In March 1774, a recent Yale University graduate was chosen to teach at the Union School, after transferring from a school in Moodus (East Haddam today- this schoolhouse is still standing). That young schoolteacher was none other than 18-year-old Nathan Hale. In October 1774, the Union School was officially incorporated with the Colony of Connecticut. Hale would teach at the Union school until his teaching contract was up in July 1775- the American Revolution had begun and the patriot schoolteacher would not stand idly by.
Hale immediately accepted a commission as a First Lieutenant in the 7th Connecticut Regiment. By the fall of 1775, he marched with his Regiment to join the Continental Army garrisoned around Boston; however, they would not see any combat.
In January 1776, Hale became Captain of the new 19th Connecticut Regiment. The Continental Army had since marched to New York City and by September, Hale had joined an elite group of soldiers dubbed the Knowlton’s Rangers (named for their Connecticut commander, Thomas Knowlton). It was of this group that General George Washington requested a volunteer to go to Long Island, New York to spy on the British Army.
In civilian clothes and with the alibi that he was a schoolteacher looking for work (not entirely untrue), Hale was rowed across Long Island Sound on September 12 and began collecting intelligence on the enemy. As the British Army moved from Long Island towards Manhattan (Washington’s Army was in full retreat), they became very wary of possible Patriot spies in their midst. When a massive fire broke out in lower Manhattan on September 21, the British leadership was convinced that Patriot spies started the destructive fires.
After a short time collecting intelligence, Nathan Hale was arrested by Loyalist troops and brought before British General William Howe, who was headquartered in the Beekman Mansion. The proud Hale did not deny that he was a spy- Howe ordered his execution for the following morning.
Around 11am on September 22, 1776, the 21-year-old Nathan Hale was hung as a spy in New York City (near modern day 66th Street and 3rd Avenue). There is much speculation on what his last words were (there are no official records); however, it was possibly something to the effect of “I only regret that I have but one life to lose for my country.” The initial account was from British officer John Montresor, who witnessed the execution and met with Alexander Hamilton to alert General Washington of the execution (it is possible that Hale’s statement was inspired or quoted from the then popular Joseph Addison’s play Cato).
In 1899, the Connecticut Society of the Sons of the American Revolution purchased the historic schoolhouse. It was moved, renovated and opened as a museum on June 17, 1901. It has since been moved one more time, to where it now stands, still open as a museum.
Interesting Facts
- Nathan Hale’s body was left hanging for a few days to deter any other possible spies or Patriots- he was buried in an unmarked grave
- Some historians believe that General Washington’s decision to hang British Major John André was retribution for the hanging of Nathan Hale (although this can never be proven)
- The Union School of New London remained an active schoolhouse until 1833
Our Visit & Recommendations
As we pulled up to the Nathan Hale Schoolhouse in downtown New London, we quickly learned that there is no dedicated parking lot and very little street parking. The museum is closed on Monday and Tuesday, but open from 11am – 4pm with varying operating days depending on the time of year.
The schoolhouse museum is staffed by a volunteer from the Sons or Daughters of the American Revolution (SAR or DAR), who is there to answer any questions during your visit. I sat with the volunteer during my visit and we talked for about 20 minutes. She was very welcoming and knowledgeable and provided a great deal of information.
Although small, the museum is loaded with a lot of detailed information on the history of the schoolhouse and Connecticut’s state hero: Nathan Hale. The first floor has informative panels and small exhibits- spend as much time as you would like reading them all. They even have a kid’s history section, where the life and history of Nathan Hale is played out through comic book style artwork.
The second floor of the museum is a reconstructed colonial schoolroom- perhaps very similar to what Nathan Hale would have used during his time as a schoolteacher. The museum has even removed portions of the current wall to reveal the original planking behind it- a cool feature to show what is original and what has been redone.
Although the Nathan Hale Schoolhouse sits in the shadows of modern city buildings, it is great to see that our history is still being preserved. Nathan Hale may have only taught here for a little over a year, but it is a testament to his service and sacrifice. Further, this schoolhouse stands as a symbol to all of the everyday citizens (schoolteachers, farmers, blacksmiths, etc.) that walked away from their civilian occupation and volunteered to fight for American Independence.