Story of the Academy Bell

For two centuries, the area that includes The Plaza Arts Center, the parking lot, fountain, and park has been referred to as the “Academy Square.” In 1816, the Eatonton Academy (for male students only) was built on this area, and there has been a school here ever since.  

In 1889 a new Academy was built, serving both male and female students. The school was a 3-story Victorian-style building with four classrooms, an art room, and a music room.  The third floor was called the “opera house” and had seating for 150.  As was the custom, the school was built of wood and had a bell tower.

In January of 1916, the school caught fire in the middle of the night and burned to the ground.  The building was a complete loss, but the bell survived.  When the new brick school (now The Plaza Arts Center) was built, the bell was stored under the building and forgotten. 

Decades later, Archie Swymer, Putnam County School Superintendent, purchased the bell from the school system and placed it in his backyard.  When the school was restored and became The Plaza Arts Center, the Swymer family donated the bell to the Old School History Museum in memory of their parents, Archie and Virginia.   

Today the bell sits proudly on the front lawn of the old school.  We invite you to visit it the next time you come to the Plaza.  The Academy Bell has come home.