The Sylvan Grove Theater and Columns, also known as the Sylvan Grove Theater or simply the Sylvan Theater, is a
sylvan theater located on the
University of Washington
The University of Washington (UW, simply Washington, or informally U-Dub) is a public research university in Seattle, Washington.
Founded in 1861, Washington is one of the oldest universities on the West Coast; it was established in Seatt ...
campus in
Seattle, Washington
Seattle ( ) is a seaport city on the West Coast of the United States. It is the seat of King County, Washington. With a 2020 population of 737,015, it is the largest city in both the state of Washington and the Pacific Northwest region ...
. Within the theater are four tall
Ionic columns
The Ionic order is one of the three canonic orders of classical architecture, the other two being the Doric and the Corinthian. There are two lesser orders: the Tuscan (a plainer Doric), and the rich variant of Corinthian called the composite o ...
from the original University building downtown, constructed in 1861.
They are some of the oldest-standing architectural pieces in Seattle. It has been called "one of the most beautiful places on campus."
The columns were named "Loyalty", "Industry", "Faith", and "Efficiency" (LIFE) by University Comptroller
Herbert T. Condon and
Edmond S. Meany, head of the History Department.
History
The original University of Washington building in downtown Seattle officially opened on September 16, 1861. It had a
portico
A portico is a porch leading to the entrance of a building, or extended as a colonnade, with a roof structure over a walkway, supported by columns or enclosed by walls. This idea was widely used in ancient Greece and has influenced many cul ...
with four Ionic columns made of hand-fluted cedar. In 1908, as the building was about to be demolished,
Edmond S. Meany saved the columns, intending that they should be used in the construction of the new campus.
From 1911 through 1920, the columns stood in the Quad, near Savery, Denny, and Raitt Halls. Eventually it became clear that the Greek columns could not be integrated into the University design plan, which specified Gothic architecture for the buildings on upper campus. A student design competition was organized and was won by a sophomore, Marshall W. Gill, the son of Seattle Mayor
Hiram Gill.
In 1921, the columns were moved to their current location in Sylvan Grove. They are maintained by the university's Facility Services, which last repaired them in 2008.
The site has received attention from paranormal investigators.
References
Further reading
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External links
Sylvan Theater, University of Washington, Seattle, ca. 1911 Digital Collections, University Libraries, University of Washington.
Photos of the Columns Digital Collections, University Libraries, University of Washington.
{{coord, 47.6527, -122.3061, type:landmark_region:US-WA, display=title
Buildings and structures in Seattle
Paranormal places in the United States
University of Washington campus
Tourist attractions in Seattle
Relocated buildings and structures in Washington (state)
University and college theatres in the United States