WESTFORD — Students in the carpentry program at Nashoba Valley Technical High School have spent much of this fall replacing the roof on the historic School District No. 3 in Pepperell.
The one-story brick structure, built in 1844 on Shattuck Street, is being restored by the Pepperell Historical Society after the land and building were given to the society by brothers John and Laurence Bagley.
The building was home to the Shipley Hill School, then School District No. 3.
After the restoration is complete, the Historical Society plans to turn the building into a local museum and space for meetings, lectures, special exhibits and demonstrations.
The society has slowly been restoring the building when money is available, and Susan Smith, president of the society, said she is grateful that Nashoba Tech is able to restore the roof as part of its community service program.
Through the community service program, Nashoba Tech students and staff are available to perform projects for its district towns — Ayer, Chelmsford, Groton, Littleton, Pepperell, Shirley, Townsend and Westford — and only charge for materials, saving the communities the cost of labor.
Nashoba Tech students and staff, led by carpentry instructor Tony Cerra, are putting new shingles on the roof of Schoolhouse District 3 and shoring it up.
Anyone who would like to contribute to the ongoing restoration of School District No. 3 can mail donations to the Pepperell Historical Society, P.O. Box 573, Pepperell, MA 01463-0593, or contact the society at www.pepperellhistory.org.
