From the grounded Saxifrage to the soaring Falcon, Fitchburg has evolved and grown from a one building teacher training school to a sprawling campus of over 40 buildings. But it’s the stories of our evolution that shaped what we’ve become.

 

The Normal School in Fitchburg met the immediate need of training the nation’s best teachers but each new building is a testament to our innovations in education and our service to the community. When Fitchburg’s population boomed, we built elementary and middle schools on campus. When more women from across the country came to study at the Normal School, we housed them in individually designed suites. As Fitchburg rapidly industrialized, we created one of the first Practical Arts programs in the country. When the world went to war, we trained naval cadet pilots. As school increasingly included students of all abilities, we developed the first Special Education program in Massachusetts.

 

This history lives all around us. Now your smartphone and our augmented reality tour can open up digital portals to the past. Discover what happened in the tunnels between Hammond and Miller, what became of the demolished Palmer dormitory, the tools it took to build a Practical Arts program from scratch, and much more. Immerse yourself in the stories the walls have to tell, and learn about those who left their mark on Fitchburg State’s history.