The Avery School was built in 1869 at the corner of Highland Avenue and Webster Street in Needham Heights. The wooden building in this picture was replaced in 1906 by the brick structure that still stands at that location. The school was closed in 1972, and the building has since been converted into residential condominiums. The School was named for Jonathan Avery, whose family owned land in the area, and who was instrumental in the economic development of Needham Heights.
The old Avery School bears a very strong resemblance to the Kimball School, which was built just two years later. The two are difficult to tell apart without close attention to the details of decoration. |