Explore the Past
A Brief Timeline of Round Hill
1681
Rev. John Stoddard granted four acres on Round Hill’s eastern slope
1806
The Stoddard brothers – having purchased Round Hill from the Stoddard heirs for $1,600 – build three fine residences upon the summit.
1823
George Bancroft – American historian and statesman – founds the Round Hill School, marking the first serious effort in the US to elevate Secondary Education.
1850s
The Round Hill Water Cure Institution becomes a frequented summer hotel and health resort.
1851
Famed international opera singer Jenny Lind – known as the “Swedish Nightingale,” visits Northampton for a concert and extended stay at the Round Hill Hotel.
1867
The Clarke Schools for Hearing and Speech is founded on Round Hill.
1903
Calvin Coolidge meets future wife Grace Goodhue while living in the Adams boardinghouse on campus. Grace was a teacher at the Clarke School - she'd go on to become First Lady and her husband, 31st President.
1990s
The Clarke School transitions to operating multiple campuses on the East Coast, and scales down its Northampton campus.
2015
Six former Clarke buildings are purchased by Round Hill, and a multi-year, historic renovation begins.