Faulkner Kindergarten
This home was built for James Robbins Faulkner, a son of Francis, founder of the Faulkner Mills. Although the mill had been founded in 1811, it was only purchased by Francis F. in 1825, the same year in which his son James was married and joined him in the business. James raised his family in this house, and was prominent in Billerica affairs as well as in the mill itself. One daughter, Anne, went south to teach the slaves when they received their freedom. She occupied the house after her father's death, and in 1927 bequeathed her home to be used as a kindergarten.
The Faulkner family started a kindergarten in 1897 for children of their employees. After renovation of the old family home, the kindergarten moved in on January 1932. An endowment fund provided for maintenance of the home and operation of the school. For Billerica, this is early Greek revival and unique in details. It presumably represented "the best that money could buy" in 1825, and has earned further respect by its association with an important Billerica family, active in the development of "Billerica Mills" and always concerned for education.
The school is currently still in operation, though it's now a private preschool and kindergarten.