Art and history will converge in May as Wrightstown Elementary School students show their creativity in artworks inspired by the history of Wrightstown’s unique 1802 Octagonal School.
On Sunday, May 17, art students from Wrightstown Elementary School will display their interpretations of early American education in Bucks County’s only surviving eight-sided schoolhouse from 1 to 5 pm. The “Octagonal Artistry” show is the first featured program of the Wrightstown Octagonal School’s 2026 season of open houses on the third Sunday of each month, May through October.
All participating students will be recognized personally by the Township Board of Supervisors and Historical Commission for their contributions to local art and history at a June meeting of the Board of Supervisors.
Local farmers and residents built and operated the Wrightstown Octagonal School as a private subscription academy from 1802 to 1850. Although not a sectarian religious school, many of its trustees, teachers, and sponsors were members of the Wrightstown Meeting of the Society of Friends (Quakers). It closed in 1850 as public schools were established in Wrightstown throughout Pennsylvania.
The Wrightstown Octagonal School is a historical museum owned by Wrightstown Township and operated by its Historic Commission. The school is located at 2091 Second Street Pike at the intersection of Swamp Road. Parking is accessed via the Swamp Road entrance.
For more information, contact Mary Lee Johnson at 215-870-2013 or visit history@wrightstownpa.org.
