Featured Item of the Month

  • From the Collection

    BirdseyeviewHutton_web.jpg

    A Bird’s-eye View from the South West by Addison Hutton (1834-1916), architect.

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    Addison Hutton personalized this drawing for Charles J. Allen, a member of Westtown’s General Committee and sub-committee on the new building. Hutton, a Quaker, designed a new school building for Westtown that was to carry on the founders' consideration "to whatever affects the religious and moral welfare of the pupils," especially with "a view to promoting a happy family life based upon mutual interest, confidence and respect," as noted in "The Proposed New Building for Westtown Boarding School," published in 1884. The publication included Hutton’s elevations and floor plans. Between 1884 and 1888, Hutton made almost weekly visits to Westtown to confer with the whole Westtown Committee as well as the Building Committee and its various subcommittees. Much was accomplished between 1885 and 1888 when the building was completed and fully occupied: Industrial Hall was moved intact to make room for the new building; the old building was razed; and a modern, more commodious structure was completed and occupied in stages, with school in session all the while.

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Westtown's Sampler Collection

The Archives has care of the school's textile collection which includes over 130 flat samplers and nine needlework globes, many made by Westtown girls between 1799 and 1843. View the Brochure below for more information about the samplers.