Academy Hall, a Federal style building in Rocky Hill, was built in 1803 by Mr. Abraham Jagger and paid for by private subscription. Its first floor originally served as a schoolhouse for Rocky Hill children, while the second floor housed a school for navigation that educated men who would become captains of ocean-going and coastal vessels, many of which were built in Rocky Hill. The building was destroyed by fire overnight on New Year's Eve, 1839, leaving only the walls standing; the lower story was rebuilt and refurbished, but the second story was left unfinished. In 1850, the Ecclesiastical Society of Rocky Hill obtained a lease stipulating that it would refinish the upper story, and in 1899 the upper floor became a school. Over the years, the building served many purposes, including housing multiple churches, an armory, a library, an American Legion Hall, meeting space for civic organizations, a plane spotting tower used to defend against possible attacks during World War II, and for a time Rocky Hill Town Hall in the early part of the 20th century. Academy Hall was used as a school for Rocky Hill children for over a century before being replaced by the new Center School, completed in 1917 on the site of the current Town Hall. By the early 1960s the building had fallen into disrepair, but in 1963 the Rocky Hill Society signed a lease with the town requiring restoration within three years for use as a museum. Major renovation work, done mostly by volunteers, included removing additions, masonry repairs, and upgrades to the plumbing, heating, and electrical systems, at a total cost of $17,830. The building opened as a museum in 1967, was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1977, and today serves as a museum and as the home of the Rocky Hill Historical Society, with exhibits on Rocky Hill history, a research library of local history and genealogy, and collections of artifacts, manuscripts, and photographs.