, ▁a ▁Georg ian ▁Rev ival ▁wood ▁frame ▁building ▁built ▁in ▁ 1 9 0 3 , ▁became ▁a ▁center pie ce ▁of ▁the ▁Fran con ia ▁College ▁campus . ▁The ▁building ▁was ▁converted ▁into ▁cond omin ium ▁resid ences ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 3 ; ▁it ▁was ▁listed ▁on ▁the ▁National ▁Register ▁of ▁Historic ▁Places ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 2 . ▁ ▁School ▁history ▁Dow ▁Academy ▁was ▁founded ▁in ▁ 1 8 8 4 ▁by ▁Mos es ▁Dow , ▁a ▁magazine ▁publish er , ▁as ▁a ▁secondary ▁school ▁for ▁both ▁local ▁and ▁out - of - town ▁board ing ▁students . ▁He ▁seed ed ▁the ▁school ▁with ▁$ 1 5 , 0 0 0 ▁for ▁construction ▁of ▁its ▁first ▁building , ▁which ▁stood ▁at ▁the ▁corner ▁of ▁Church ▁and ▁Academy ▁streets ▁and ▁was ▁completed ▁in ▁ 1 8 8 5 . ▁That ▁building ▁was ▁destroyed ▁by ▁fire ▁in ▁January ▁ 1 9 0 2 . ▁The ▁surv iving ▁a cademy ▁building ▁was ▁constructed ▁the ▁following ▁year , ▁fund ed ▁by ▁a ▁public - private ▁partners hip ▁in ▁which ▁the ▁town ' s ▁students ▁were ▁able ▁to ▁attend ▁the ▁school ▁in ▁exchange ▁for ▁its ▁financial ▁support . ▁The ▁town ▁gradually ▁took ▁over ▁administration ▁of ▁the ▁school ▁entirely , ▁which ▁continued ▁in ▁operation ▁as ▁its ▁principal ▁primary ▁and ▁secondary ▁school ▁until ▁ 1 9 5 8 . ▁ ▁The ▁surv iving ▁campus ▁buildings ▁were ▁then ▁taken ▁over ▁by ▁Fran con ia ▁College , ▁and ▁anch ored ▁the ▁college ' s ▁Lower ▁Camp