Hill's Academy in Essex, Connecticut, founded in 1831 by local businessman John Hill and completed in 1832, was among the first secondary schools in southern Connecticut, drawing students from nearby communities and from as far away as the American South. After Essex established a public high school by 1892, the academy declined, dissolved in 1902, and the building remained in school use until 1910. It later served from 1915 to 1954 as Red Men's Hall, a lodge for the Improved Order of Red Men, before becoming home to the Essex Historical Society and a museum. Its preserved brick Greek Revival design reflects its educational and civic importance.