University Hall is a white granite building designed by the great early American architect
Charles Bulfinch
Charles Bulfinch (August 8, 1763 – April 15, 1844) was an early American architect, and has been regarded by many as the first American-born professional architect to practice.Baltzell, Edward Digby. ''Puritan Boston & Quaker Philadelphia''. Tra ...
and built by the noted early engineer
Loammi Baldwin, Jr.
Loammi Baldwin Jr. (May 16, 1780 – June 30, 1838) was an American civil engineer. His father was Col. Loammi Baldwin, a prominent civil engineer.
Biography
Baldwin was born at North Woburn, Massachusetts living at Baldwin House aka "The Baldw ...
It is located in
Harvard Yard
Harvard Yard, in Cambridge, Massachusetts, is the oldest part of the Harvard University campus, its historic center and modern crossroads. It contains most of the freshman dormitories, Harvard's most important libraries, Memorial Church, sever ...
on the campus of
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Founded in 1636 as Harvard College and named for its first benefactor, the Puritan clergyman John Harvard, it is the oldest institution of higher le ...
in
Cambridge, Massachusetts
Cambridge ( ) is a city in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States. As part of the Boston metropolitan area, the cities population of the 2020 U.S. census was 118,403, making it the fourth most populous city in the state, behind Boston, ...
. It was designated a
National Historic Landmark
A National Historic Landmark (NHL) is a building, district, object, site, or structure that is officially recognized by the United States government for its outstanding historical significance. Only some 2,500 (~3%) of over 90,000 places listed ...
in 1970 for its architectural significance.
The hall was designed by Bulfinch, class of 1781, and built between 1813–1815 of white
Chelmsford
Chelmsford () is a city in the City of Chelmsford district in the county of Essex, England. It is the county town of Essex and one of three cities in the county, along with Southend-on-Sea and Colchester. It is located north-east of London a ...
granite, probably using rock cut to size at the
Charlestown Prison. It consists of a partial basement story, plus three full stories raised above ground as well as an additional story set within the roofline. The long east and west facades are very similar, and symmetrically arranged with two entrances per facade, each flanked by pilasters; smaller north and south facades present rows of windows. Total construction cost was $65,000 of which $53,000 was paid by the
.
University Hall's first floor contained the College Commons (dining room) until 1849. The building also contained a library and philosophical (scientific) apparatus, as well as a chapel within the second and third floors. A massive
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 cult ...
with stone pillars was added to the western facade soon after completion, but removed in 1842. In 1849 the first floor was partitioned into classrooms; in 1867 the chapel was partitioned as well. In 1896 the chapel was restored and used for meetings of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences. In 1924
Daniel Chester French
Daniel Chester French (April 20, 1850 – October 7, 1931) was an American sculptor of the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, best known for his 1874 sculpture ''The Minute Man'' in Concord, Massachusetts, and his 1920 monume ...
's bronze
statue of John Harvard was moved to the western façade from its original location near
Memorial Hall
A memorial hall is a hall built to commemorate an individual or group; most commonly those who have died in war. Most are intended for public use and are sometimes described as ''utilitarian memorials''.
History of the Memorial Hall
In the aft ...
.
1969 Occupation
In protest of the
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War (also known by #Names, other names) was a conflict in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. It was the second of the Indochina Wars and was officially fought between North Vie ...
and Harvard's connections to it, students occupied University Hall on the night of April 8 to 9, 1969, forcing out Harvard officials and staff. In the early morning hours of April 10 the occupiers were ejected and some 100 to 300 persons arrested; about 50 were injured.
See also
*
List of National Historic Landmarks in Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts has a total of 191 National Historic Landmarks (NHLs) within its borders. This is the second highest statewide total in the United States after New York, which has more than 250. Of the Massachusetts NHLs, 57 ar ...
*
References
* William Garrott Brown, ''Official Guide to Harvard University'', Harvard Memorial Society, 1899, page 23.
* Douglass Shand-Tucci, ''Harvard University: Campus Guide'', Princeton Architectural Press, 2001, pages 22–23. .
* Bainbridge Bunting, Margaret Henderson Floyd, ''Harvard: An Architectural History'', Harvard University Press, 1985. .
Harvard Magazine article
{{National Register of Historic Places in Massachusetts
School buildings completed in 1815
Harvard University buildings
National Historic Landmarks in Cambridge, Massachusetts
Charles Bulfinch buildings
Harvard Square
University and college buildings on the National Register of Historic Places in Massachusetts
Historic district contributing properties in Massachusetts
1815 establishments in Massachusetts
National Register of Historic Places in Cambridge, Massachusetts