List of Washington & Jefferson College buildings
Encyclopedia
Washington & Jefferson College
is a private liberal arts college
in Washington, Pennsylvania
, which is located in the Pittsburgh metropolitan area. The college traces its origin to three log cabin colleges in Washington County, Pennsylvania
established by three Presbyterian missionaries to the American frontier in the 1780s: John McMillan
, Thaddeus Dod
, and Joseph Smith
. These early schools eventually grew into two competing academies and colleges, with Canonsburg Academy, later Jefferson College, located in Canonsburg, Pennsylvania
and Washington Academy, later Washington College, in Washington. These two colleges merged in 1865 to form Washington & Jefferson College.
The campus, the historic entrances of which are marked by brick gates, has over 40 buildings. The oldest surviving building is McMillan Hall
, which dates to 1793 and is the oldest college building west of the Allegheny Mountains
. The main academic building is Old Main
, which is topped with two prominent towers. The Old Gym
houses a modern exercise facility. McIlvaine Hall, which was originally home to a female seminary, was demolished in 2008 and replaced by the Swanson Science Center
. The Olin Fine Arts Center is a 488-seat auditorium. Davis Memorial Hall was once a dormitory and private house. The Thistle Physics Building, the Lazear Chemistry Hall, and the Dieter-Porter Life Sciences Building all cater to the scientific curriculum. The Burnett Center
and its sister building, the Technology Center
, were built in the late 1990s and early 2000s.
The first dormitory on campus was Hays Hall
. Wade House, Carriage House, and Whitworth House are Victorian
homes housing older students. The recently constructed Chestnut Street Housing complex provides housing for the college's Greek organizations. The Presidents' Row is a cluster of ten buildings in the center of campus, several of which are dedicated to theme housing. Two sister dormitories, New Residence Hall and Bica-Ross Hall, feature suite-style living arrangements. Mellon Hall and Upperclass Hall house male freshmen. Other dormitories include Alexander Hall, Beau Hall, Marshall Hall, North Hall, and Penn House. The college administration utilizes several buildings, including the Admissions House, the Alumni House, and the President’s House, which are all modified Victorian homes. The U. Grant Miller Library
is the modern library; its predecessor, Thompson Hall, is now used for administrative purposes. The Hub, The Commons, and the Rossin Campus Center provide recreational and dining facilities for students. The athletic and intramural teams utilize Cameron Stadium
for football
and track. The Henry Memorial Center
is used for basketball, wrestling, swimming, and volleyball. Other athletic facilities include Brooks Park
, Ross Memorial Park and Alexandre Stadium
, and the Janet L. Swanson Tennis Courts.
and the East Washington Borough
, small-town communities about 30 miles (48.3 km) south of Pittsburgh. The 60-acre (0.24 km2) campus is home to more than 40 academic, administrative, recreational, and residential buildings. The northern edge of campus is bound by East Walnut Street, the western edge by South College Street, the southern edge by East Maiden Street, and the eastern edge by South Wade. Portions of the campus extend into the East Washington Historic District
.
Four historic gates mark four traditional entrances to campus at East Maiden Street, Wheeling Street, South College Street, and Beau Street. The South College Street gate marks the western entrance to campus, and was built in 1948 by members of the Phi Gamma Delta
fraternity, in honor of the 100th anniversary of the fraternity's founding at Jefferson College in 1848. That brick gate opens to a stone path leading to Old Main
. The fraternity refurbished the gate in 1998. The relief
s on the southern gate at East Maiden Street, called the Algeo Gateway, show the roots of the college, with one showing John McMillan and his log college, and the other showing Thaddeus Dod and the founding of Washington Academy.
The main academic building on campus is Old Main. It is the predominant building on campus. Its two identical towers, added in 1875, symbolize the union of Washington College and Jefferson College to form Washington & Jefferson College
. The towers appear on the college seal, in a stylized version. The college fundraising operation founded "The Old Main Society" in 1996 to recognize individuals who utilize planned giving
.
The building's configuration has changed considerably since its construction in 1850, when it became the second building on the campus on Washington Academy. Originally a two story structure with architecture matching the colonial facade of McMillan Hall
, it has since doubled in height, received two towers, and expanded through multiple wing additions. The building currently houses the academic departments of mathematics, history, religious studies, and political science. The office of the College Chaplain, called the "Pastor's Study," is on the ground floor and was used as a main setting for the 1993 George A. Romero
film, The Dark Half
. Room E contains one of the college's computer labs. The campus' Office of Protection Services is headquartered in Old Main.
prior to its acquisition by the college in 1940, when the Seminary closed permanently. It was built in 1897 by Pittsburgh-based female architect Elise Mercur Wagner who also supervised every facet of its construction. After the college purchased the brick building with a limestone foundation, it was renamed after Judge John Addison McIvaine, an 1865 graduate of Jefferson College. The John L. Stewart Clock Tower on the northwest corner of the building, named in honor of John L. Stewart, who published of two local newspapers, contained a chime to note the hour. The portico was modeled after the portico of Mount Vernon
. The chime room, containing the 26-note Stephen Collins Foster Carillon, was given to the college by the Women's Auxiliary of Allegheny County on Founder's Day in 1937. In the 1980s, the chime system was replaced by a cassette system. The north wing of the building contained a college theater. The tower was topped with a four-faced clock given in memory of David F. McGill, an 1881 alumnus. The building housed classrooms and faculty offices for the Departments of Philosophy, Sociology, and the Environmental Studies Program, as well as some classrooms for English courses. McIlvaine was demolished in summer 2008 to make room for the new Swanson Science Center
. Shortly before its demolition, President Tori Haring-Smith
took a group of alumni on a tour of the building.
. The exterior is Cleveland sandstone. In the early years, the interior space was used for basketball and as an auditorium. The basement once held a bowling alley and a swimming pool. Following renovations in 1927, where the interior was re-faced with brick and the swimming pool was expanded, the building was supposed to have been turned into a memorial hall for President James D. Moffat
, but those plans never materialized. By 1938, the building was unable to host any intercollegiate athletic events, and during World War II
, it was used as the Army Administration School. After the construction of the Henry Memorial Center
, the building no longer housed any athletic events. Instead, the Old Gym was used for student activities and maintenance. In 2002, the basketball court area of the Old Gym was renovated and turned into the Swanson Wellness Center.
. The white-painted brick structure was constructed in the American colonial architecture style in 1847 by Alexander Reed, a college trustee, who used it has his residence. It was once a stop on the Underground Railroad
. In the early 1930s, it was photographed by Charles M. Stotz in preparation for writing his book, Early Architecture of Western Pennsylvania. In 1939, it was acquired by the college and used as a dormitory for 33 students. In the 1940s, it was converted to the Electrical Engineering Building. In 1947, the building was renamed from the Reed Dormitory to Davis Memorial Hall in honor of Harry Hamilton and Tillie Wilkinson Davis, who provided the funds for a major remodeling project. Following that renovation, the building housed offices and classrooms for the Department of English. A duplicate of the original cast iron fence currently surrounds the building.
in 2010. The building contains four teaching laboratories, three research labs, lecture rooms, and a fully equipped machine shop.
between 1939 and 1949. It was designed by Frederick Larson and was named after former student Jesse William Lazear
, who helped develop the cure for yellow fever
. In 2010, the Department of Chemistry moved from Lazear to the new Swanson Science Center
. With 50 rooms, including a nationally recognized polymer lab, a darkroom, a 100-seat lecture hall, and a main supply room with an acid room and hazardous chemical vault. The campus chapter of the Student Affiliates of the American Chemical Society produces an annual "Fear at Lazear" haunted house
. The door to the Troutman Library on the first floor of Lazear holds the original doorknob from the Tara Plantation
from Gone with the Wind
. It was donated to the college in May 1940 by the film's producer and Pittsburgh native David O. Selznick
, who had family in the Washington area. A faulty heating system and general disrepair spurred the construction of the Swanson Science Center
, where the chemistry department moved in 2010.
biology honor society, who provided new paint, carpet, and furniture. The second floor contains The Meditation Room, with a small altar and limited seating. It was furnished by funds provided by the Women's Auxiliary and is in memory of Helen Turnbull Waite Coleman, who authored Banners in the Wilderness, a book about the early years of the college. The third floor contains a 700 square feet (65 m²) greenhouse, with a potting room, wooden benches, and skylights. During the winter, the plants are illuminated by timed electric lights. The greenhouse is used for the cultivation of plant specimens, especially tropical, that are used for classroom experiments and demonstrations. Space is also reserved for student projects. In 2008, the Biology Department (and the college) was awarded a $1 million programmatic grant from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute
, a portion of which will be used to help establish bioinformatics lab space in Dieter-Porter. The building will be renovated as part of the Science Initiative, which has already constructed the Swanson Science Center
. While the building has significant problems with the mechanical and HVAC systems
, the foundation is sound. The planned renovations will construct new common areas and a new entrance, install a new HVAC system, and improve the animal laboratory.
, as well as the Eden Hall Foundation. It was home to the Vilar Distinguished Artist Series from 1999 to 2003. Andrew Druckenbrod, classical music critic for the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
, said, while reviewing a 2003 performance of the Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra
, that the "downside is that multipurpose Olin is not nearly equipped to handle such a group, either in stage size or acoustics. But cramped environs, blinking lighting and inadequate reverberation didn't deter the youthful orchestra from a deft performance." Mark Kanny, classical music critic for the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review
, said, while reviewing a 2001 performance of Valery Gergiev
conducting the Kirov Orchestra, that "the size of Olin actually added to the effectiveness of the concert. The music was heard in a more intimate environment and had more impact."
A granite and limestone building, The Burnett Center anchors the northeastern border of campus. It houses the Departments of Economics and Business, Modern Languages, and Education, as well as the Yost Auditorium, an 84-seat lecture hall. The four seminar rooms, located in the tower structure of the left side of the building, feature an 16-seat octagonal tables. The building was completed in 2001 at a cost of $12.8 million. It is named after Howard J. Burnett
, who served as President from 1970 to 1998.
The entrance plaza includes a fountain and a grassed bowl area in the lower plaza. The tower element on the left side of the building is intended to match the most prominent building on campus, Old Main
. The interior railings include cast iron fleur-de-lis balusters from Hays Hall
, the first dormitory on campus that was demolished in 1994. The large vertical ribbon window assemblies and atrium provide a view of the rest of campus. The architecture and masonry work won several national awards.
, sits in the green space in front of the building.
The building was formerly known as the Vilar Technology Center, in honor of alumnus Alberto Vilar
, who had pledged $18.1 million to construct the building. After he reneged on that pledge in 2003, the building was renamed the Technology Center and plans for its completion were scaled back. It is the sister building to The Burnett Center
, sharing the same architect and general contractor.
, an engineer and businessman on the Board of Trustees, who donated $10 million towards its construction. This facility, containing 47500 square feet (4,412.9 m²) of space, houses classrooms for Chemistry, Physics, Biophysics and Biochemistry and was designed to match its neighboring historic campus architecture. Its learning facilities include wet and dry teaching laboratories, faculty and student research laboratories, and a multi-disciplinary lab designed for non-science majors.
The marble-lined grand entrance leads to a three-story atrium with marble pillars and Palladian windows facing Route 40 and the common area is designed to attract non-science students. It was designed to satisfy the LEED
Silver qualifications for green building
s.
and it was named after President George P. Hays
. Construction was completed in 1903 and the new "fireproof" building was opened to Washington & Jefferson Academy students. Rooms were arranged in a suite style, with communal bathrooms on each floor, and shower baths on the 5th floor.
In 1912, the Academy closed and Hays Hall was used by Washington & Jefferson College students. At various times, Hays Hall housed the bookstore and a dining hall. By 1968, Hays Hall had deteriorated to the point where it was no longer able to house students, but the bookstore remained. In 1982, the building was declared a fire hazard and closed for all uses. While various efforts sought to renovate or restore Hays Hall, including a push to have it named a historical landmark, Hays Hall was demolished in 1994.
: Adams
, Buchanan
, Cleveland
, Filmore, Grant
, Harrison
, Jefferson
, Lincoln
, Monroe
, and Washington
. Each unit contains a lounge, meeting rooms, and living areas for up to 35 students. Some rooms are air-conditioned. In addition to standard co-educational living arrangements, Presidents' Row is also home to various theme housing arrangements, including the "Pet House," the Service Leadership House, and the WashPa Radio House
. Built in 1968, they were originally called the Residential Center, then The Quads. Fraternities, and then sororities after 1970, were early occupants. In the fall of 2005, these organizations were moved to Chestnut Street housing.
Bica Ross was constructed on the site of the former Trinity Episcopal Church, which had been surrounded on 3 sides by college property, making it a virtual part of the campus. In 1998, the college purchased the church's building, including the rectory and parish house, for $1.55 million. The congregation of 200 voted to accept the offer in order to build a larger church south of the town. Following the sale, the pastor expressed hope that the college would keep the building as a chapel. The church had been constructed in 1863.
, before the fraternity moved to their new residence on Chestnut Street. It was renovated in the summer of 2006.
, which was considered part of the American frontier during the Colonial period.
It is situated on the corner of South Lincoln Street and East Wheeling Street in Washington, Pennsylvania
. It has undergone significant changes and expansions since its construction, with the addition of two large wings and a front portico. Throughout its history, McMillan Hall has housed classrooms, student housing, dining facilities, the college bookstore, and administrative offices. McMillan Hall is named after college founder and Presbyterian missionary John McMillan
. It has also been known as the "Old College," the "Academy Building," and the "Administration Building." It is currently home to administrative offices, including the Office of Communications, and the Office of the President. The college's ceremonial mace
is carved from the original wooden pillars.
In 1977, it was listed on the National Register of Historic Places
. The National Register described the building's architecture as achieving a "unique quality and charm from the fact that vernacular builders selectively borrowed Georgian
, Roman Classical, Adamesque, and other European Renaissance
architectural forms, elements, and details and combined them in the builder's own esoteric way." The National Register described its historical importance as a "unique variation of a Western Pennsylvania stone building," calling it "irreplaceable on a regional or national level."
. Before being acquired by the college in 1984, it was the Piatt Funeral Home.
fame. Its design is archetypical Queen Anne Victorian
style, with ornate "gingerbread" details, stained and beveled glass, recessed doors and windows, and louvered wooden shutters. In 1944, Walter Hudson Baker, class of 1907, donated the house to the college in memory of his wife, Amy Duncan Baker; it has been used as the President's House since. It was profiled in a book of regional architecture by the Washington County History and Landmarks Foundation.
, the library held the Walker Room, a room with fine furnishings, Tiffany lamp
s, and John Walker's
personal library of 5,000 volumes. From its construction until the 1970s, its steps and green space held the commencement exercises. The building is sandstone, with hand-laid mosaic tile floors and skylights. In 1965, this room was transferred to the U. Grant Miller Library
. In 2004, the building was remodeled into administrative facilities.
tables, foosball, and a pool table. The ground floor is used for "Monticello's Coffee House," which offers free drinks and food on weekends.
collection is located in the U. Grant Miller Library
. With its origins tracing back to a donation from Benjamin Franklin
in 1789, the collection currently holds 210,000 volumes. The Archives and Special Collections contain significant holdings of historical papers dating to the college's founding. The Walker Room contains the personal library of prominent industrialist John Walker
, complete with all of his library's fixtures and furniture, installed exactly how it had been during Walker's life.
, the college newspaper Red & Black
, and the yearbook. Additionally, The Ski Lodge, located in the ground floor, has a fireplace and gathering areas. The building is connected to the Rossin Campus Center by a bridge.
and administrative building in the center of campus. It is named after former trustee Pete C. Rossin and was built in 1994. During the planning stages in 1991, the college asked the City of Washington to close South Lincoln Street between East Maiden and East Chestnut Street and reroute the traffic through College Street, which would have been made into a two-way street. The college was concerned about the increasing frequency of accidents between pedestrians and automobiles on that street, pointing to a recent incident involving an injured maintenance worker and the fact that there had been 6 other similar accidents in the previous 15 years. The new campus center would only increase pedestrian traffic on that street. The proposal was defeated by the City Council 5–0.
The architecture work was performed by MacLachlan, Cornelius & Filoni, who won the Citation of Merit Pittsburgh Chapter American Institute of Architects award for Building Excellence and the Educational Design Excellence from the American School & University magazine. The building, which is connected to The Commons via a bridge, contains rooms designed for meetings, events, seminars, and conferences. It also is home to the College Bookstore, and George & Tom’s Place. The Rossin Ballroom is a multi-purpose space that can be used for dances, banquets, performances. The Livingroom is a casual area behind the mail room, containing couches and other seating areas.
. College Field was purchased in 1885. Originally a fairground, it was developed into a proper athletic field after the discovery of oil on the grounds. It was renovated in 1999 and rechristened Cameron Stadium
after the addition of an all-weather track, the installation of a FieldTurf
football field, and renovated grandstands and media facilities. In 1970, the Henry Memorial Center
was built. It houses a main gymnasium for basketball, wrestling, and volleyball, as well as an auxiliary basketball court, two handball courts, a wrestling practice room, and a weightroom. The natatorium, a six-lane, 25-yard pool, with depths ranging four to seven feet deep, hosts the men’s and women’s swimming and diving teams as well as the men’s and women’s water polo squads. The adjacent Janet L. Swanson Tennis Courts, first built 1955 and renovated in 2001, are home to the tennis teams. The softball team plays at Brooks Park
, which was extensively renovated in 2004.
The Ross Memorial Park and Alexandre Stadium
is a combined multi-purpose outdoor athletic facility for the baseball and soccer teams. At 233000 square feet (21,646.4 m²) of FieldTurf
playing surface, the facility was the home of the largest continuous artificial playing surface in the world at its completion in 2004. The Swanson Wellness Center is a modern exercise facility located within the Old Gym
. It contains a variety of strength and cardiovascular training equipment, including treadmills, exercise bikes, elliptical running machines, free weight machines, a weight rack, squat racks, and a three-lane indoor track suspended above the main floor. The hockey team plays at the IceoPlex at Southpointe
.
was built in 1780 near Chartiers
. The original cabin was destroyed by fire, but rebuilt by McMillan in the late 1780s. This log school has been preserved and is located beside the middle school in Canonsburg
. The first Jefferson College building in Canonsburg was the Stone College Building, which was constructed on land donated Colonel John Canon
. It was demolished in 1843 to make room for a new town hall.
Providence Hall, a red brick building with a tower, housed classrooms, the college library, and the refectory
. It was built in 1832. The name was suggested by Moses Allen, who was President of the Board and the son-in-law John McMillan
, the college's founder. It had three floors plus a basement, but a peak on the roof gave the impression of a fifth floor. From 1832 to 1890 it was a meeting place for Presbyterian Church of Canonsburg. In 1966, it was razed to build a junior high school
.
West College Building was razed 1912 to build a high school.
Four dormitory buildings, called "Forts," housed Jefferson students: Fort Ballantine, Fort McClelland, Fort Hunt, and Fort Armstrong. Two other buildings were constructed on campus, including a College President's home that was demolished in 1938 to build the Canonsburg Armory, and another home built in 1815 that housed college presidents and professors that was demolished in 1966.
Washington & Jefferson College
Washington & Jefferson College, also known as W & J College or W&J, is a private liberal arts college in Washington, Pennsylvania, in the United States, which is south of Pittsburgh...
is a private liberal arts college
Liberal arts colleges in the United States
Liberal arts colleges in the United States are certain undergraduate institutions of higher education in the United States. The Encyclopædia Britannica Concise offers a definition of the liberal arts as a "college or university curriculum aimed at imparting general knowledge and developing general...
in Washington, Pennsylvania
Washington, Pennsylvania
Washington is a city in and the county seat of Washington County, Pennsylvania, United States, within the Pittsburgh Metro Area in the southwestern part of the state...
, which is located in the Pittsburgh metropolitan area. The college traces its origin to three log cabin colleges in Washington County, Pennsylvania
Washington County, Pennsylvania
-Government and politics:As of November 2008, there are 152,534 registered voters in Washington County .* Democratic: 89,027 * Republican: 49,025 * Other Parties: 14,482...
established by three Presbyterian missionaries to the American frontier in the 1780s: John McMillan
John McMillan (pastor)
John McMillan was a prominent Presbyterian minister and missionary in Western Pennsylvania when that area was part of the American Frontier. He founded the first school west of the Allegheny Mountains, which is now known as John McMillan's Log School...
, Thaddeus Dod
Thaddeus Dod
Thaddeus Dod was a prominent Presbyterian minister in Western Pennsylvania. He is one of the founders of Washington & Jefferson College....
, and Joseph Smith
Joseph Smith (preacher)
Joseph Smith was a prominent Presbyterian minister in Western Pennsylvania. He is one of the founders of Washington & Jefferson College....
. These early schools eventually grew into two competing academies and colleges, with Canonsburg Academy, later Jefferson College, located in Canonsburg, Pennsylvania
Canonsburg, Pennsylvania
Canonsburg is a borough in Washington County, Pennsylvania, southwest of Pittsburgh. Canonsburg was laid out by Colonel John Canon in 1789 and incorporated in 1802....
and Washington Academy, later Washington College, in Washington. These two colleges merged in 1865 to form Washington & Jefferson College.
The campus, the historic entrances of which are marked by brick gates, has over 40 buildings. The oldest surviving building is McMillan Hall
McMillan Hall
McMillan Hall is a building on the campus of Washington & Jefferson College in Washington, Pennsylvania, United States. Built in 1793, it is the only surviving building from Washington Academy...
, which dates to 1793 and is the oldest college building west of the Allegheny Mountains
Allegheny Mountains
The Allegheny Mountain Range , also spelled Alleghany, Allegany and, informally, the Alleghenies, is part of the vast Appalachian Mountain Range of the eastern United States and Canada...
. The main academic building is Old Main
Old Main (Washington & Jefferson College)
Old Main is the main academic building at Washington & Jefferson College. It is the predominant building on campus and has served virtually every student since its construction. Its two identical towers, added in 1875, symbolize the union of Washington College and Jefferson College to form...
, which is topped with two prominent towers. The Old Gym
Old Gym
The Martindale Student Services Center, formerly known as the Old Gym, was a 2,500 seat multi-purpose arena in Oxford, Mississippi owned and operated by the University of Mississippi . It opened in 1924. It was home to the Ole Miss Rebels basketball teams. It was replaced when Tad Smith Coliseum...
houses a modern exercise facility. McIlvaine Hall, which was originally home to a female seminary, was demolished in 2008 and replaced by the Swanson Science Center
Swanson Science Center
The John A. Swanson Science Center, also known as the Swanson Science Center is an academic building on the campus of Washington & Jefferson College. It was completed in February 2010 and was named after John A. Swanson, an engineer and businessman on the Board of Trustees, who donated $10 million...
. The Olin Fine Arts Center is a 488-seat auditorium. Davis Memorial Hall was once a dormitory and private house. The Thistle Physics Building, the Lazear Chemistry Hall, and the Dieter-Porter Life Sciences Building all cater to the scientific curriculum. The Burnett Center
The Burnett Center
The Howard J. Burnett Center, also known as The Burnett Center, is an academic building on the campus of Washington & Jefferson College. This building, named after former President Howard J. Burnett, was completed in 2001 at a cost of $12.8 million...
and its sister building, the Technology Center
Technology Center (Washington & Jefferson College)
The Vilar Technology Center is an academic building on the campus of Washington & Jefferson College housing the Information Technology Leadership program. It houses over 200 instructional computers for use by the Information Technology Leadership and related classes...
, were built in the late 1990s and early 2000s.
The first dormitory on campus was Hays Hall
Hays Hall
Hays Hall was a residence hall at Washington & Jefferson College. The architectural work was performed by Frederick J. Osterling and it was named after President George P. Hays. Construction was completed in 1903 and the new "fireproof" building was opened to Washington & Jefferson Academy students...
. Wade House, Carriage House, and Whitworth House are Victorian
Victorian architecture
The term Victorian architecture refers collectively to several architectural styles employed predominantly during the middle and late 19th century. The period that it indicates may slightly overlap the actual reign, 20 June 1837 – 22 January 1901, of Queen Victoria. This represents the British and...
homes housing older students. The recently constructed Chestnut Street Housing complex provides housing for the college's Greek organizations. The Presidents' Row is a cluster of ten buildings in the center of campus, several of which are dedicated to theme housing. Two sister dormitories, New Residence Hall and Bica-Ross Hall, feature suite-style living arrangements. Mellon Hall and Upperclass Hall house male freshmen. Other dormitories include Alexander Hall, Beau Hall, Marshall Hall, North Hall, and Penn House. The college administration utilizes several buildings, including the Admissions House, the Alumni House, and the President’s House, which are all modified Victorian homes. The U. Grant Miller Library
U. Grant Miller Library
U. Grant Miller Library is the academic library for Washington & Jefferson College, located in Washington, Pennsylvania. With its origins tracing back to a donation from Benjamin Franklin in 1789, the collection currently hold 210,000 volumes. The Archives and Special Collections contain...
is the modern library; its predecessor, Thompson Hall, is now used for administrative purposes. The Hub, The Commons, and the Rossin Campus Center provide recreational and dining facilities for students. The athletic and intramural teams utilize Cameron Stadium
Cameron Stadium
Cameron Stadium is an outdoor football stadium adjacent to the campus of Washington & Jefferson College in Washington, Pennsylvania.-Facilities and amenities:Located one mile from campus...
for football
Washington & Jefferson Presidents football
The Washington & Jefferson Presidents football team represents Washington & Jefferson College in collegiate level football. The team competes in NCAA Division III and is affiliated with the Presidents' Athletic Conference...
and track. The Henry Memorial Center
Henry Memorial Center
The Henry Memorial Center is a multi-purpose collegiate sports complex on the campus of Washington & Jefferson College. It houses two main athletic facilities, a gymnasium and a natatorium. The Henry Memorial Center also has an auxiliary basketball gym court, two handball courts, a wrestling...
is used for basketball, wrestling, swimming, and volleyball. Other athletic facilities include Brooks Park
Brooks Park
Brooks Park is a softball field in Washington, Pennsylvania used by the Washington & Jefferson Presidents softball team. The field dimensions are 200 feet down the lines and 205 feet to center field. It also has home and away dugouts and separate bullpens....
, Ross Memorial Park and Alexandre Stadium
Ross Memorial Park and Alexandre Stadium
Ross Memorial Park and Alexandre Stadium is a combined multi-purpose outdoor athletic facility in North Franklin Township, Pennsylvania owned by Washington & Jefferson College. The playing surface is made of FieldTurf, like the college's football stadium, Cameron Stadium...
, and the Janet L. Swanson Tennis Courts.
Campus
The modern campus of Washington & Jefferson College is located in the City of WashingtonWashington, Pennsylvania
Washington is a city in and the county seat of Washington County, Pennsylvania, United States, within the Pittsburgh Metro Area in the southwestern part of the state...
and the East Washington Borough
East Washington, Pennsylvania
East Washington is a borough in Washington County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 1,930 at the 2000 census.-Geography:East Washington is located at ....
, small-town communities about 30 miles (48.3 km) south of Pittsburgh. The 60-acre (0.24 km2) campus is home to more than 40 academic, administrative, recreational, and residential buildings. The northern edge of campus is bound by East Walnut Street, the western edge by South College Street, the southern edge by East Maiden Street, and the eastern edge by South Wade. Portions of the campus extend into the East Washington Historic District
East Washington Historic District
The East Washington Historic District is a historic district in East Washington, Pennsylvania that is listed on the National Register of Historic Places...
.
Four historic gates mark four traditional entrances to campus at East Maiden Street, Wheeling Street, South College Street, and Beau Street. The South College Street gate marks the western entrance to campus, and was built in 1948 by members of the Phi Gamma Delta
Phi Gamma Delta
The international fraternity of Phi Gamma Delta is a collegiate social fraternity with 120 chapters and 18 colonies across the United States and Canada. It was founded at Jefferson College, Pennsylvania, in 1848, and its headquarters are located in Lexington, Kentucky, USA...
fraternity, in honor of the 100th anniversary of the fraternity's founding at Jefferson College in 1848. That brick gate opens to a stone path leading to Old Main
Old Main (Washington & Jefferson College)
Old Main is the main academic building at Washington & Jefferson College. It is the predominant building on campus and has served virtually every student since its construction. Its two identical towers, added in 1875, symbolize the union of Washington College and Jefferson College to form...
. The fraternity refurbished the gate in 1998. The relief
Relief
Relief is a sculptural technique. The term relief is from the Latin verb levo, to raise. To create a sculpture in relief is thus to give the impression that the sculpted material has been raised above the background plane...
s on the southern gate at East Maiden Street, called the Algeo Gateway, show the roots of the college, with one showing John McMillan and his log college, and the other showing Thaddeus Dod and the founding of Washington Academy.
Old Main
Washington & Jefferson College
Washington & Jefferson College, also known as W & J College or W&J, is a private liberal arts college in Washington, Pennsylvania, in the United States, which is south of Pittsburgh...
. The towers appear on the college seal, in a stylized version. The college fundraising operation founded "The Old Main Society" in 1996 to recognize individuals who utilize planned giving
Planned giving
Planned giving is an area of fundraising that refers to several specific gift types that can be funded with cash, equity, or property. These gift vehicles are commonly based on United States tax law, but Canada, the United Kingdom, and other nations are beginning to establish similar laws...
.
The building's configuration has changed considerably since its construction in 1850, when it became the second building on the campus on Washington Academy. Originally a two story structure with architecture matching the colonial facade of McMillan Hall
McMillan Hall (Washington & Jefferson College)
McMillan Hall is a building on the campus of Washington & Jefferson College in Washington, Pennsylvania, United States. Built in 1793, it is the only surviving building from Washington Academy...
, it has since doubled in height, received two towers, and expanded through multiple wing additions. The building currently houses the academic departments of mathematics, history, religious studies, and political science. The office of the College Chaplain, called the "Pastor's Study," is on the ground floor and was used as a main setting for the 1993 George A. Romero
George A. Romero
George Andrew Romero is a Canadian-American film director, screenwriter and editor, best known for his gruesome and satirical horror films about a hypothetical zombie apocalypse. He is nicknamed "Godfather of all Zombies." -Life and career:...
film, The Dark Half
The Dark Half (film)
The Dark Half is a 1993 horror film adaptation of the Stephen King novel of the same name. The film was directed by George A. Romero and stars Timothy Hutton as Thad Beaumont and George Stark, Amy Madigan as Liz Beaumont, Michael Rooker as Sheriff Alan Pangborn and Royal Dano in his final...
. Room E contains one of the college's computer labs. The campus' Office of Protection Services is headquartered in Old Main.
McIlvaine Hall
The building later known as McIlvaine Hall was home to the Washington Female SeminaryWashington Female Seminary
The Washington Female Seminary was a Presbyterian seminary for women operating from 1836 to 1948 in Washington, Pennsylvania.The movement to create an institution to teach women began in 1835 and the Seminary opened 1 year later in 1836. The two founders were abolitionist F...
prior to its acquisition by the college in 1940, when the Seminary closed permanently. It was built in 1897 by Pittsburgh-based female architect Elise Mercur Wagner who also supervised every facet of its construction. After the college purchased the brick building with a limestone foundation, it was renamed after Judge John Addison McIvaine, an 1865 graduate of Jefferson College. The John L. Stewart Clock Tower on the northwest corner of the building, named in honor of John L. Stewart, who published of two local newspapers, contained a chime to note the hour. The portico was modeled after the portico of Mount Vernon
Mount Vernon
The name Mount Vernon is a dedication to the English Vice-Admiral Edward Vernon. It was first applied to Mount Vernon, the Virginia estate of George Washington, the first President of the United States...
. The chime room, containing the 26-note Stephen Collins Foster Carillon, was given to the college by the Women's Auxiliary of Allegheny County on Founder's Day in 1937. In the 1980s, the chime system was replaced by a cassette system. The north wing of the building contained a college theater. The tower was topped with a four-faced clock given in memory of David F. McGill, an 1881 alumnus. The building housed classrooms and faculty offices for the Departments of Philosophy, Sociology, and the Environmental Studies Program, as well as some classrooms for English courses. McIlvaine was demolished in summer 2008 to make room for the new Swanson Science Center
Swanson Science Center
The John A. Swanson Science Center, also known as the Swanson Science Center is an academic building on the campus of Washington & Jefferson College. It was completed in February 2010 and was named after John A. Swanson, an engineer and businessman on the Board of Trustees, who donated $10 million...
. Shortly before its demolition, President Tori Haring-Smith
Tori Haring-Smith
-Education:Dr. Haring-Smith received a bachelor’s degree from Swarthmore College and doctoral and master's degrees from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. As an undergraduate, she received a Thomas J. Watson Fellowship to study abroad.-Academic career:...
took a group of alumni on a tour of the building.
Old Gym
The Old Gym is an historic athletic training center and gymnasium, currently housing the Swanson Wellness Center, a modern exercise facility featuring cardiovascular, resistance, and strength training equipment. The building also features a three-lane indoor track suspended above the main floor. Prior to the construction of the Old Gym, students exercised and engaged in athletics under the grandstands at College FieldCameron Stadium
Cameron Stadium is an outdoor football stadium adjacent to the campus of Washington & Jefferson College in Washington, Pennsylvania.-Facilities and amenities:Located one mile from campus...
. The exterior is Cleveland sandstone. In the early years, the interior space was used for basketball and as an auditorium. The basement once held a bowling alley and a swimming pool. Following renovations in 1927, where the interior was re-faced with brick and the swimming pool was expanded, the building was supposed to have been turned into a memorial hall for President James D. Moffat
James D. Moffat
James David Moffat was the 3rd president of Washington & Jefferson College.Moffat, a native of New Lisbon, Ohio, was born on March 15, 1846. He spent his youth in St. Clairsville, Ohio and Bellaire, Ohio before working as a teacher and a bookkeeper. He entered Jefferson College in 1865 and...
, but those plans never materialized. By 1938, the building was unable to host any intercollegiate athletic events, and during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, it was used as the Army Administration School. After the construction of the Henry Memorial Center
Henry Memorial Center
The Henry Memorial Center is a multi-purpose collegiate sports complex on the campus of Washington & Jefferson College. It houses two main athletic facilities, a gymnasium and a natatorium. The Henry Memorial Center also has an auxiliary basketball gym court, two handball courts, a wrestling...
, the building no longer housed any athletic events. Instead, the Old Gym was used for student activities and maintenance. In 2002, the basketball court area of the Old Gym was renovated and turned into the Swanson Wellness Center.
Davis Memorial Hall
Marking the southern border of campus, Davis Memorial Hall abuts U.S. Route 40U.S. Route 40 in Pennsylvania
U.S. Route 40 enters Pennsylvania at West Alexander. It closely parallels I-70 from West Virginia until it reaches Washington where it follows Jefferson Avenue and Maiden Street. In Washington, US 40 passes to the south of Washington & Jefferson College. Following Maiden Street out of town, the...
. The white-painted brick structure was constructed in the American colonial architecture style in 1847 by Alexander Reed, a college trustee, who used it has his residence. It was once a stop on the Underground Railroad
Underground Railroad
The Underground Railroad was an informal network of secret routes and safe houses used by 19th-century black slaves in the United States to escape to free states and Canada with the aid of abolitionists and allies who were sympathetic to their cause. The term is also applied to the abolitionists,...
. In the early 1930s, it was photographed by Charles M. Stotz in preparation for writing his book, Early Architecture of Western Pennsylvania. In 1939, it was acquired by the college and used as a dormitory for 33 students. In the 1940s, it was converted to the Electrical Engineering Building. In 1947, the building was renamed from the Reed Dormitory to Davis Memorial Hall in honor of Harry Hamilton and Tillie Wilkinson Davis, who provided the funds for a major remodeling project. Following that renovation, the building housed offices and classrooms for the Department of English. A duplicate of the original cast iron fence currently surrounds the building.
Thistle Physics Building
The Thistle Physics building was built in 1912 and is named after Dr. Joseph Long Thistle, who donated the funds for its construction. It was home to the Department of Physics until moving to the Swanson Science CenterSwanson Science Center
The John A. Swanson Science Center, also known as the Swanson Science Center is an academic building on the campus of Washington & Jefferson College. It was completed in February 2010 and was named after John A. Swanson, an engineer and businessman on the Board of Trustees, who donated $10 million...
in 2010. The building contains four teaching laboratories, three research labs, lecture rooms, and a fully equipped machine shop.
Lazear Chemistry Hall
The Lazear Chemistry Hall was constructed in the Georgian styleGeorgian architecture
Georgian architecture is the name given in most English-speaking countries to the set of architectural styles current between 1720 and 1840. It is eponymous for the first four British monarchs of the House of Hanover—George I of Great Britain, George II of Great Britain, George III of the United...
between 1939 and 1949. It was designed by Frederick Larson and was named after former student Jesse William Lazear
Jesse William Lazear
Jesse William Lazear was an American physician.He was the son of William and Charlotte née Pettigrew...
, who helped develop the cure for yellow fever
Yellow fever
Yellow fever is an acute viral hemorrhagic disease. The virus is a 40 to 50 nm enveloped RNA virus with positive sense of the Flaviviridae family....
. In 2010, the Department of Chemistry moved from Lazear to the new Swanson Science Center
Swanson Science Center
The John A. Swanson Science Center, also known as the Swanson Science Center is an academic building on the campus of Washington & Jefferson College. It was completed in February 2010 and was named after John A. Swanson, an engineer and businessman on the Board of Trustees, who donated $10 million...
. With 50 rooms, including a nationally recognized polymer lab, a darkroom, a 100-seat lecture hall, and a main supply room with an acid room and hazardous chemical vault. The campus chapter of the Student Affiliates of the American Chemical Society produces an annual "Fear at Lazear" haunted house
Haunted house
A haunted house is a house or other building often perceived as being inhabited by disembodied spirits of the deceased who may have been former residents or were familiar with the property...
. The door to the Troutman Library on the first floor of Lazear holds the original doorknob from the Tara Plantation
Tara Plantation
Tara, the fictional plantation found in Margaret Mitchell's 1936 novel Gone with the Wind, was located near Jonesborough , Georgia...
from Gone with the Wind
Gone with the Wind (film)
Gone with the Wind is a 1939 American historical epic film adapted from Margaret Mitchell's Pulitzer-winning 1936 novel of the same name. It was produced by David O. Selznick and directed by Victor Fleming from a screenplay by Sidney Howard...
. It was donated to the college in May 1940 by the film's producer and Pittsburgh native David O. Selznick
David O. Selznick
David O. Selznick was an American film producer. He is best known for having produced Gone with the Wind and Rebecca , both of which earned him an Oscar for Best Picture.-Early years:...
, who had family in the Washington area. A faulty heating system and general disrepair spurred the construction of the Swanson Science Center
Swanson Science Center
The John A. Swanson Science Center, also known as the Swanson Science Center is an academic building on the campus of Washington & Jefferson College. It was completed in February 2010 and was named after John A. Swanson, an engineer and businessman on the Board of Trustees, who donated $10 million...
, where the chemistry department moved in 2010.
Dieter-Porter Life Sciences Building
The Dieter-Porter Life Science Building, was built in 1981 and totals 50000 square feet (4,645.2 m²) in size. It contains classrooms, laboratories, and an auditorium. The building was named after two longtime Professors who were largely responsible for establishing the college's scientific reputation, Dr. Clarence D. Dieter and Dr. Homer C. Porter. The building also contains a library, which contains a study lounge, work space, and a meeting room. It was renovated in 2007 by the Phi SigmaPhi Sigma
Phi Sigma is an honor society for students of biological sciences. Phi Sigma was founded on March 17, 1915 at Ohio State University. It became a member of the Association of College Honor Societies in 1950. The Greek letter, Phi and Sigma, signify "fellows in science." The coat of arms contains...
biology honor society, who provided new paint, carpet, and furniture. The second floor contains The Meditation Room, with a small altar and limited seating. It was furnished by funds provided by the Women's Auxiliary and is in memory of Helen Turnbull Waite Coleman, who authored Banners in the Wilderness, a book about the early years of the college. The third floor contains a 700 square feet (65 m²) greenhouse, with a potting room, wooden benches, and skylights. During the winter, the plants are illuminated by timed electric lights. The greenhouse is used for the cultivation of plant specimens, especially tropical, that are used for classroom experiments and demonstrations. Space is also reserved for student projects. In 2008, the Biology Department (and the college) was awarded a $1 million programmatic grant from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute
Howard Hughes Medical Institute
Howard Hughes Medical Institute is a United States non-profit medical research organization based in Chevy Chase, Maryland. It was founded by the American businessman Howard Hughes in 1953. It is one of the largest private funding organizations for biological and medical research in the United...
, a portion of which will be used to help establish bioinformatics lab space in Dieter-Porter. The building will be renovated as part of the Science Initiative, which has already constructed the Swanson Science Center
Swanson Science Center
The John A. Swanson Science Center, also known as the Swanson Science Center is an academic building on the campus of Washington & Jefferson College. It was completed in February 2010 and was named after John A. Swanson, an engineer and businessman on the Board of Trustees, who donated $10 million...
. While the building has significant problems with the mechanical and HVAC systems
HVAC
HVAC refers to technology of indoor or automotive environmental comfort. HVAC system design is a major subdiscipline of mechanical engineering, based on the principles of thermodynamics, fluid mechanics, and heat transfer...
, the foundation is sound. The planned renovations will construct new common areas and a new entrance, install a new HVAC system, and improve the animal laboratory.
Olin Fine Arts Center
The Olin Fine Arts Center houses a 488-seat auditorium and the Olin Art Gallery. It also houses classrooms and the Department of Art, Theatre, and Communication, and the Department of Music. Funding for its construction in 1982 was provided by the F. W. Olin FoundationF. W. Olin Foundation
The Franklin W. Olin Foundation was founded in 1938 by Franklin W. Olin.By the mid-1970s, the era of Horn, Wynn and Clark was ending, and the torch was passed to a new generation of board members. The transition in leadership began in 1974 with the election to the board of Carlton T. Helming, an...
, as well as the Eden Hall Foundation. It was home to the Vilar Distinguished Artist Series from 1999 to 2003. Andrew Druckenbrod, classical music critic for the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, also known simply as the "PG," is the largest daily newspaper serving metropolitan Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA.-Early history:...
, said, while reviewing a 2003 performance of the Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra
Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra
The Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra, in German Symphonieorchester des Bayerischen Rundfunks is the internationally renowned orchestra of the Bayerischer Rundfunk , based in Munich, Germany. It is one of the three principal orchestras in the city of Munich, along with the Munich Philharmonic...
, that the "downside is that multipurpose Olin is not nearly equipped to handle such a group, either in stage size or acoustics. But cramped environs, blinking lighting and inadequate reverberation didn't deter the youthful orchestra from a deft performance." Mark Kanny, classical music critic for the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review
Pittsburgh Tribune-Review
The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, also known as "the Trib," is the second largest daily newspaper serving metropolitan Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, in the United States...
, said, while reviewing a 2001 performance of Valery Gergiev
Valery Gergiev
Valery Abisalovich Gergiev is a Russian conductor and opera company director. He is general director and artistic director of the Mariinsky Theatre, principal conductor of the London Symphony Orchestra, and artistic director of the White Nights Festival in St. Petersburg.- Early life :Gergiev,...
conducting the Kirov Orchestra, that "the size of Olin actually added to the effectiveness of the concert. The music was heard in a more intimate environment and had more impact."
The Burnett Center
Howard J. Burnett
Howard Jerome Burnett is a former president of Washington & Jefferson College.Burnett, a native of Holyoke, Massachusetts, earned a B.A. degree in political science from Amherst College in 1952; he earned magna cum laude honors and was a member of Phi Beta Kappa. As a Rhodes Scholar, he studied at...
, who served as President from 1970 to 1998.
The entrance plaza includes a fountain and a grassed bowl area in the lower plaza. The tower element on the left side of the building is intended to match the most prominent building on campus, Old Main
Old Main (Washington & Jefferson College)
Old Main is the main academic building at Washington & Jefferson College. It is the predominant building on campus and has served virtually every student since its construction. Its two identical towers, added in 1875, symbolize the union of Washington College and Jefferson College to form...
. The interior railings include cast iron fleur-de-lis balusters from Hays Hall
Hays Hall
Hays Hall was a residence hall at Washington & Jefferson College. The architectural work was performed by Frederick J. Osterling and it was named after President George P. Hays. Construction was completed in 1903 and the new "fireproof" building was opened to Washington & Jefferson Academy students...
, the first dormitory on campus that was demolished in 1994. The large vertical ribbon window assemblies and atrium provide a view of the rest of campus. The architecture and masonry work won several national awards.
Technology Center
The Technology Center houses the Information Technology Leadership program. All told, it houses over 200 instructional computers for use by the Information Technology Leadership and related classes. A statue of a coal miner, representing the work ethic and spirit of Western PennsylvaniaWestern Pennsylvania
Western Pennsylvania consists of the western third of the state of Pennsylvania in the United States. Pittsburgh is the largest city in the region, with a metropolitan area population of about 2.4 million people, and serves as its economic and cultural center. Erie, Altoona, and Johnstown are its...
, sits in the green space in front of the building.
The building was formerly known as the Vilar Technology Center, in honor of alumnus Alberto Vilar
Alberto Vilar
Alberto Vilar , a.k.a., Albert Vilar, is a Cuban-American investor and philanthropist from West Orange, NJ, particularly known as a patron of opera. He was tried and convicted in November 2008 on charges of money laundering, investment advisor fraud, securities fraud, wire fraud and mail fraud,...
, who had pledged $18.1 million to construct the building. After he reneged on that pledge in 2003, the building was renamed the Technology Center and plans for its completion were scaled back. It is the sister building to The Burnett Center
The Burnett Center
The Howard J. Burnett Center, also known as The Burnett Center, is an academic building on the campus of Washington & Jefferson College. This building, named after former President Howard J. Burnett, was completed in 2001 at a cost of $12.8 million...
, sharing the same architect and general contractor.
Swanson Science Center
The newest building on campus is the John A. Swanson Science Center, which was completed in February 2010. It was named after John A. SwansonJohn A. Swanson
John A. Swanson is an American engineer, entrepreneur, and philanthropist. Swanson is the founder of ANSYS, Inc., a John Fritz Medal winner, and a member of the National Academy of Engineering...
, an engineer and businessman on the Board of Trustees, who donated $10 million towards its construction. This facility, containing 47500 square feet (4,412.9 m²) of space, houses classrooms for Chemistry, Physics, Biophysics and Biochemistry and was designed to match its neighboring historic campus architecture. Its learning facilities include wet and dry teaching laboratories, faculty and student research laboratories, and a multi-disciplinary lab designed for non-science majors.
The marble-lined grand entrance leads to a three-story atrium with marble pillars and Palladian windows facing Route 40 and the common area is designed to attract non-science students. It was designed to satisfy the LEED
Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design
Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design consists of a suite of rating systems for the design, construction and operation of high performance green buildings, homes and neighborhoods....
Silver qualifications for green building
Green building
Green building refers to a structure and using process that is environmentally responsible and resource-efficient throughout a building's life-cycle: from siting to design, construction, operation, maintenance, renovation, and demolition...
s.
Hays Hall
The first residence hall at Washington & Jefferson College was Hays Hall. The architectural work on that building was performed by Frederick J. OsterlingFrederick J. Osterling
Frederick John Osterling was an American architect, practicing in Pittsburgh from 1888....
and it was named after President George P. Hays
George P. Hays (college president)
George Price Hays was the 2nd president of Washington & Jefferson College.Hays was born in Miller's Run, Pennsylvania on February 2, 1838. He studied at Jefferson College, graduating in 1857, and at the Western Theological Seminary . He was licensed to preach in 1859...
. Construction was completed in 1903 and the new "fireproof" building was opened to Washington & Jefferson Academy students. Rooms were arranged in a suite style, with communal bathrooms on each floor, and shower baths on the 5th floor.
In 1912, the Academy closed and Hays Hall was used by Washington & Jefferson College students. At various times, Hays Hall housed the bookstore and a dining hall. By 1968, Hays Hall had deteriorated to the point where it was no longer able to house students, but the bookstore remained. In 1982, the building was declared a fire hazard and closed for all uses. While various efforts sought to renovate or restore Hays Hall, including a push to have it named a historical landmark, Hays Hall was demolished in 1994.
Wade House, Carriage House, and Whitworth House
The college owns three Victorian houses on the periphery of campus that are used as alternative living spaces for students. The college acquired Wade House, a late 19th century Victorian mansion, in 1986. After a total renovation in 2007 and replacing the windows in 2008, it now houses upper-class women. Whitworth House is a mid 19th century Victorian mansion that was acquired by the college 1997. Originally known as Kimm House, it houses roughly 25 upper-class females.Mellon Hall and Upperclass Hall
Mellon Hall and Upperclass Hall are adjacent freshman men's dormitories. Mellon Hall is named in memory of James Ross Mellon, an 1865 graduate of Jefferson College; funding for its construction in 1949 was provided by the W.L. and May T. Mellon Foundation. A 2008 renovation project expanded and redesigned the bathrooms, upgraded the electrical system, and installed sprinklers. Upperclass Hall was also built in 1949. It was renovated in 2008 to improve the bathrooms, upgrade the electrical system, and to install sprinklers.Presidents' Row
Presidents' Row is a cluster of ten buildings in the center of campus, with each named after a former President of the United StatesPresident of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
: Adams
John Adams
John Adams was an American lawyer, statesman, diplomat and political theorist. A leading champion of independence in 1776, he was the second President of the United States...
, Buchanan
James Buchanan
James Buchanan, Jr. was the 15th President of the United States . He is the only president from Pennsylvania, the only president who remained a lifelong bachelor and the last to be born in the 18th century....
, Cleveland
Grover Cleveland
Stephen Grover Cleveland was the 22nd and 24th president of the United States. Cleveland is the only president to serve two non-consecutive terms and therefore is the only individual to be counted twice in the numbering of the presidents...
, Filmore, Grant
Ulysses S. Grant
Ulysses S. Grant was the 18th President of the United States as well as military commander during the Civil War and post-war Reconstruction periods. Under Grant's command, the Union Army defeated the Confederate military and ended the Confederate States of America...
, Harrison
William Henry Harrison
William Henry Harrison was the ninth President of the United States , an American military officer and politician, and the first president to die in office. He was 68 years, 23 days old when elected, the oldest president elected until Ronald Reagan in 1980, and last President to be born before the...
, Jefferson
Thomas Jefferson
Thomas Jefferson was the principal author of the United States Declaration of Independence and the Statute of Virginia for Religious Freedom , the third President of the United States and founder of the University of Virginia...
, Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln was the 16th President of the United States, serving from March 1861 until his assassination in April 1865. He successfully led his country through a great constitutional, military and moral crisis – the American Civil War – preserving the Union, while ending slavery, and...
, Monroe
James Monroe
James Monroe was the fifth President of the United States . Monroe was the last president who was a Founding Father of the United States, and the last president from the Virginia dynasty and the Republican Generation...
, and Washington
George Washington
George Washington was the dominant military and political leader of the new United States of America from 1775 to 1799. He led the American victory over Great Britain in the American Revolutionary War as commander-in-chief of the Continental Army from 1775 to 1783, and presided over the writing of...
. Each unit contains a lounge, meeting rooms, and living areas for up to 35 students. Some rooms are air-conditioned. In addition to standard co-educational living arrangements, Presidents' Row is also home to various theme housing arrangements, including the "Pet House," the Service Leadership House, and the WashPa Radio House
WNJR (FM)
WNJR is a noncommercial educational radio station broadcasting a freeform format. Licensed to Washington, Pennsylvania, USA, it serves the Pittsburgh Designated Market Area, reaching north to the northern Pittsburgh suburbs, east to Monessen, south to Waynesburg and west to the West Virginia...
. Built in 1968, they were originally called the Residential Center, then The Quads. Fraternities, and then sororities after 1970, were early occupants. In the fall of 2005, these organizations were moved to Chestnut Street housing.
New Residence Hall and Bica-Ross Hall
New Residence Hall and Bica-Ross Hall are sister dormitories, featuring suite-style living arrangements. New Residence Hall provides 24 living units, each with a common area, two single rooms, and a double room. It was constructed in 2002, with the 4th floor completed in 2004. In 2009–10, it housed 108 co-educational upperclass students. Funds for the construction of Bica-Ross Hall provided by Violet Ross in honor of her husband, L. Clayton Ross, who was a 1930 graduate. Constructed in 2004, living units in Bica Ross Hall have four single rooms with a common area.Bica Ross was constructed on the site of the former Trinity Episcopal Church, which had been surrounded on 3 sides by college property, making it a virtual part of the campus. In 1998, the college purchased the church's building, including the rectory and parish house, for $1.55 million. The congregation of 200 voted to accept the offer in order to build a larger church south of the town. Following the sale, the pastor expressed hope that the college would keep the building as a chapel. The church had been constructed in 1863.
Chestnut Street Housing
The Chestnut Street Housing student housing development is a series of 10 houses on Chestnut Street. The buildings are designed to look more like homes, rather than dorms, with front porches and living rooms. When they were constructed in 2005, all 10 were intended to serve as "theme houses," for groups of like-minded students who share common social or academic interests. By 2008, 8 of the 10 buildings were occupied by Greek organizations. Two years later, all 10 buildings were occupied by Greek organizations.Other dormitories
Alexander Hall, named after former President of the Board of Trustees Park J. Alexander, was constructed in 1968 and is laid out with a suite-style floor plan. In the 2009–2010 academic year, it housed co-ed upperclass students. Marshall Hall was built in 1969 and is named after Elder W. Marshall, former President of the Board of Trustees. It is a co-ed facility with a suite-style floor plan. During the 2009–2010 academic year, it housed 128 both first year and upper-class coeducational students. Beau Hall is similar to Alexander and Marshall, but is built in a "U" shape with two separate wings. During the 2009–2010 academic year, it only housed women. Penn House, situated between Marshall Hall and the Chestnut Street Housing complex, offers double-style living space for 17 individuals. North Hall is a freshman men's dormitory. It was originally the chapter house of Phi Gamma DeltaPhi Gamma Delta
The international fraternity of Phi Gamma Delta is a collegiate social fraternity with 120 chapters and 18 colonies across the United States and Canada. It was founded at Jefferson College, Pennsylvania, in 1848, and its headquarters are located in Lexington, Kentucky, USA...
, before the fraternity moved to their new residence on Chestnut Street. It was renovated in the summer of 2006.
McMillan Hall
The oldest building on campus is McMillan Hall, which was built in 1793 and served as the only building for the old Washington Academy. It is the eighth-oldest academic building in the United States that is still in use for its original academic purpose, and is the oldest surviving college building west of the Allegheny MountainsAllegheny Mountains
The Allegheny Mountain Range , also spelled Alleghany, Allegany and, informally, the Alleghenies, is part of the vast Appalachian Mountain Range of the eastern United States and Canada...
, which was considered part of the American frontier during the Colonial period.
It is situated on the corner of South Lincoln Street and East Wheeling Street in Washington, Pennsylvania
Washington, Pennsylvania
Washington is a city in and the county seat of Washington County, Pennsylvania, United States, within the Pittsburgh Metro Area in the southwestern part of the state...
. It has undergone significant changes and expansions since its construction, with the addition of two large wings and a front portico. Throughout its history, McMillan Hall has housed classrooms, student housing, dining facilities, the college bookstore, and administrative offices. McMillan Hall is named after college founder and Presbyterian missionary John McMillan
John McMillan (pastor)
John McMillan was a prominent Presbyterian minister and missionary in Western Pennsylvania when that area was part of the American Frontier. He founded the first school west of the Allegheny Mountains, which is now known as John McMillan's Log School...
. It has also been known as the "Old College," the "Academy Building," and the "Administration Building." It is currently home to administrative offices, including the Office of Communications, and the Office of the President. The college's ceremonial mace
Ceremonial mace
The ceremonial mace is a highly ornamented staff of metal or wood, carried before a sovereign or other high official in civic ceremonies by a mace-bearer, intended to represent the official's authority. The mace, as used today, derives from the original mace used as a weapon...
is carved from the original wooden pillars.
In 1977, it was listed on the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
. The National Register described the building's architecture as achieving a "unique quality and charm from the fact that vernacular builders selectively borrowed Georgian
Georgian architecture
Georgian architecture is the name given in most English-speaking countries to the set of architectural styles current between 1720 and 1840. It is eponymous for the first four British monarchs of the House of Hanover—George I of Great Britain, George II of Great Britain, George III of the United...
, Roman Classical, Adamesque, and other European Renaissance
Renaissance
The Renaissance was a cultural movement that spanned roughly the 14th to the 17th century, beginning in Italy in the Late Middle Ages and later spreading to the rest of Europe. The term is also used more loosely to refer to the historical era, but since the changes of the Renaissance were not...
architectural forms, elements, and details and combined them in the builder's own esoteric way." The National Register described its historical importance as a "unique variation of a Western Pennsylvania stone building," calling it "irreplaceable on a regional or national level."
Admissions House
The Admissions House is a Victorian mansion built in 1894 as the residence of Andrew Happer, who had been a student at Washington College before quitting to fight in the American Civil WarAmerican Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
. Before being acquired by the college in 1984, it was the Piatt Funeral Home.
Alumni House
The Alumni House on Wheeling Street is the headquarters for the Alumni Relations office. It was obtained by the college from local attorney William S. Parker in 1989. Before being used as the Alumni House beginning in 2005, it was called Wheeling House and was used as an upper-class dormitory. It contains a mahogany-paneled study, a parlor with a fireplace, and a walnut-paneled dining room, all used for alumni activities. During the final exam period, student use these facilities as a quiet study area.President’s House
The President's House is a 17 room Victorian mansion where the College President resides. It was built in 1892 by the Duncan family, of Duncan glassDuncan & Miller Glass Company
Duncan & Miller Glass Company was a well-known glass manufacturing company in Washington, Pennsylvania. Items that were produced by the company are known as "Duncan glass" or "Duncan Miller glass." The company was founded in 1865 by George Duncan with his two sons and son-in-law in the South Side...
fame. Its design is archetypical Queen Anne Victorian
Queen Anne Style architecture
The Queen Anne Style in Britain means either the English Baroque architectural style roughly of the reign of Queen Anne , or a revived form that was popular in the last quarter of the 19th century and the early decades of the 20th century...
style, with ornate "gingerbread" details, stained and beveled glass, recessed doors and windows, and louvered wooden shutters. In 1944, Walter Hudson Baker, class of 1907, donated the house to the college in memory of his wife, Amy Duncan Baker; it has been used as the President's House since. It was profiled in a book of regional architecture by the Washington County History and Landmarks Foundation.
Thompson Hall
The college's first unified library was in Thompson Hall, which was constructed in 1905. Funds for its construction were provided by William R. Thompson of Pittsburgh's in honor of his mother. His wife, Mary Thaw Thompson, later established a fund for library. The building is sandstone, with hand-laid mosaic tile floors and skylights. It was lit by electric lights and heated by steam. In addition to the college's holdings and those of the various literary societiesLiterary societies at Washington & Jefferson College
Literary societies at Washington & Jefferson College played an important role in its academics and student life, especially during the 18th and 19th century. Washington & Jefferson College is a private liberal arts college in Washington, Pennsylvania, which is located in the Pittsburgh...
, the library held the Walker Room, a room with fine furnishings, Tiffany lamp
Tiffany lamp
A Tiffany lamp is a type of lamp with many different types of glass shade. The most famous was the stained leaded glass lamp. Tiffany lamps are considered part of the Art Nouveau movement.- History :...
s, and John Walker's
John Walker (industrialist)
John Walker was a prominent iron and steel industrialist in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania during the early 20th century. He was born in Allegheny, Pennsylvania, now known as Pittsburgh's North Side. His father was a Scottish immigrant...
personal library of 5,000 volumes. From its construction until the 1970s, its steps and green space held the commencement exercises. The building is sandstone, with hand-laid mosaic tile floors and skylights. In 1965, this room was transferred to the U. Grant Miller Library
U. Grant Miller Library
U. Grant Miller Library is the academic library for Washington & Jefferson College, located in Washington, Pennsylvania. With its origins tracing back to a donation from Benjamin Franklin in 1789, the collection currently hold 210,000 volumes. The Archives and Special Collections contain...
. In 2004, the building was remodeled into administrative facilities.
The Hub
As a center of student activity on campus, The Hub has offices for student clubs, student government, and other various administrative offices. Before being renovated in 2007, it was known as the ITS Building. Its original purpose was to serve as a student center. It currently provides meeting and recreational areas for students, complete with an outdoor patio, lounge areas, multimedia entertainment centers with various gaming consoles, table tennisTable tennis
Table tennis, also known as ping-pong, is a sport in which two or four players hit a lightweight, hollow ball back and forth using table tennis rackets. The game takes place on a hard table divided by a net...
tables, foosball, and a pool table. The ground floor is used for "Monticello's Coffee House," which offers free drinks and food on weekends.
U. Grant Miller Library
The college's academic libraryAcademic library
An academic library is a library that is attached to academic institutions above the secondary level, serving the teaching and research needs of students and staff...
collection is located in the U. Grant Miller Library
U. Grant Miller Library
U. Grant Miller Library is the academic library for Washington & Jefferson College, located in Washington, Pennsylvania. With its origins tracing back to a donation from Benjamin Franklin in 1789, the collection currently hold 210,000 volumes. The Archives and Special Collections contain...
. With its origins tracing back to a donation from Benjamin Franklin
Benjamin Franklin
Dr. Benjamin Franklin was one of the Founding Fathers of the United States. A noted polymath, Franklin was a leading author, printer, political theorist, politician, postmaster, scientist, musician, inventor, satirist, civic activist, statesman, and diplomat...
in 1789, the collection currently holds 210,000 volumes. The Archives and Special Collections contain significant holdings of historical papers dating to the college's founding. The Walker Room contains the personal library of prominent industrialist John Walker
John Walker (industrialist)
John Walker was a prominent iron and steel industrialist in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania during the early 20th century. He was born in Allegheny, Pennsylvania, now known as Pittsburgh's North Side. His father was a Scottish immigrant...
, complete with all of his library's fixtures and furniture, installed exactly how it had been during Walker's life.
The Commons
The Commons, which contains the main dining facility on campus, also contains the Malcolm Parcell Room, which contains a number of works by noted local artist Malcolm Parcell. The Commons houses the main offices for the college radio station WNJRWNJR (FM)
WNJR is a noncommercial educational radio station broadcasting a freeform format. Licensed to Washington, Pennsylvania, USA, it serves the Pittsburgh Designated Market Area, reaching north to the northern Pittsburgh suburbs, east to Monessen, south to Waynesburg and west to the West Virginia...
, the college newspaper Red & Black
Red & Black
Red & Black is the student newspaper for Washington & Jefferson College. The student staff handles all aspects of the production, including writing, editing, graphic design, layout, and advertising sales. The Red & Black features local and national news, student opinion, and college athletics...
, and the yearbook. Additionally, The Ski Lodge, located in the ground floor, has a fireplace and gathering areas. The building is connected to the Rossin Campus Center by a bridge.
Rossin Campus Center
The Rossin Campus Center is a student activity centerStudent activity center
A student activity center is a type of building found on university campuses. In the United States, such a building is more often called a student union, student commons, or student center...
and administrative building in the center of campus. It is named after former trustee Pete C. Rossin and was built in 1994. During the planning stages in 1991, the college asked the City of Washington to close South Lincoln Street between East Maiden and East Chestnut Street and reroute the traffic through College Street, which would have been made into a two-way street. The college was concerned about the increasing frequency of accidents between pedestrians and automobiles on that street, pointing to a recent incident involving an injured maintenance worker and the fact that there had been 6 other similar accidents in the previous 15 years. The new campus center would only increase pedestrian traffic on that street. The proposal was defeated by the City Council 5–0.
The architecture work was performed by MacLachlan, Cornelius & Filoni, who won the Citation of Merit Pittsburgh Chapter American Institute of Architects award for Building Excellence and the Educational Design Excellence from the American School & University magazine. The building, which is connected to The Commons via a bridge, contains rooms designed for meetings, events, seminars, and conferences. It also is home to the College Bookstore, and George & Tom’s Place. The Rossin Ballroom is a multi-purpose space that can be used for dances, banquets, performances. The Livingroom is a casual area behind the mail room, containing couches and other seating areas.
Athletic facilities
The first athletic facility at Washington & Jefferson was the Old GymOld Gym
The Martindale Student Services Center, formerly known as the Old Gym, was a 2,500 seat multi-purpose arena in Oxford, Mississippi owned and operated by the University of Mississippi . It opened in 1924. It was home to the Ole Miss Rebels basketball teams. It was replaced when Tad Smith Coliseum...
. College Field was purchased in 1885. Originally a fairground, it was developed into a proper athletic field after the discovery of oil on the grounds. It was renovated in 1999 and rechristened Cameron Stadium
Cameron Stadium
Cameron Stadium is an outdoor football stadium adjacent to the campus of Washington & Jefferson College in Washington, Pennsylvania.-Facilities and amenities:Located one mile from campus...
after the addition of an all-weather track, the installation of a FieldTurf
FieldTurf
FieldTurf is a brand of artificial turf playing surface. It is manufactured and installed by the FieldTurf Tarkett division of Tarkett Inc., based in Calhoun, Georgia, USA. In the late 1990s, the artificial surface changed the industry with a design intended to replicate real grass...
football field, and renovated grandstands and media facilities. In 1970, the Henry Memorial Center
Henry Memorial Center
The Henry Memorial Center is a multi-purpose collegiate sports complex on the campus of Washington & Jefferson College. It houses two main athletic facilities, a gymnasium and a natatorium. The Henry Memorial Center also has an auxiliary basketball gym court, two handball courts, a wrestling...
was built. It houses a main gymnasium for basketball, wrestling, and volleyball, as well as an auxiliary basketball court, two handball courts, a wrestling practice room, and a weightroom. The natatorium, a six-lane, 25-yard pool, with depths ranging four to seven feet deep, hosts the men’s and women’s swimming and diving teams as well as the men’s and women’s water polo squads. The adjacent Janet L. Swanson Tennis Courts, first built 1955 and renovated in 2001, are home to the tennis teams. The softball team plays at Brooks Park
Brooks Park
Brooks Park is a softball field in Washington, Pennsylvania used by the Washington & Jefferson Presidents softball team. The field dimensions are 200 feet down the lines and 205 feet to center field. It also has home and away dugouts and separate bullpens....
, which was extensively renovated in 2004.
The Ross Memorial Park and Alexandre Stadium
Ross Memorial Park and Alexandre Stadium
Ross Memorial Park and Alexandre Stadium is a combined multi-purpose outdoor athletic facility in North Franklin Township, Pennsylvania owned by Washington & Jefferson College. The playing surface is made of FieldTurf, like the college's football stadium, Cameron Stadium...
is a combined multi-purpose outdoor athletic facility for the baseball and soccer teams. At 233000 square feet (21,646.4 m²) of FieldTurf
FieldTurf
FieldTurf is a brand of artificial turf playing surface. It is manufactured and installed by the FieldTurf Tarkett division of Tarkett Inc., based in Calhoun, Georgia, USA. In the late 1990s, the artificial surface changed the industry with a design intended to replicate real grass...
playing surface, the facility was the home of the largest continuous artificial playing surface in the world at its completion in 2004. The Swanson Wellness Center is a modern exercise facility located within the Old Gym
Old Gym
The Martindale Student Services Center, formerly known as the Old Gym, was a 2,500 seat multi-purpose arena in Oxford, Mississippi owned and operated by the University of Mississippi . It opened in 1924. It was home to the Ole Miss Rebels basketball teams. It was replaced when Tad Smith Coliseum...
. It contains a variety of strength and cardiovascular training equipment, including treadmills, exercise bikes, elliptical running machines, free weight machines, a weight rack, squat racks, and a three-lane indoor track suspended above the main floor. The hockey team plays at the IceoPlex at Southpointe
IceoPlex at Southpointe
IceoPlex is a multi-purpose arena in Southpointe in Cecil Township, Washington County, Pennsylvania. It is the practice facility for the Pittsburgh Penguins...
.
Buildings in Canonsburg
The original college building, John McMillan's Log SchoolJohn McMillan's Log School
John McMillan's Log School is a landmark log building in Canonsburg, Pennsylvania that was the site of John McMillan's frontier latin school during the 1780s. It is a symbol of Canonsburg and Canonsburg's educational tradition...
was built in 1780 near Chartiers
Chartiers Township, Pennsylvania
Chartiers Township is a township in Washington County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 7,818 at the 2010 census. Along with the borough of Houston the township makes up the Chartiers-Houston School District.-Geography:...
. The original cabin was destroyed by fire, but rebuilt by McMillan in the late 1780s. This log school has been preserved and is located beside the middle school in Canonsburg
Canonsburg, Pennsylvania
Canonsburg is a borough in Washington County, Pennsylvania, southwest of Pittsburgh. Canonsburg was laid out by Colonel John Canon in 1789 and incorporated in 1802....
. The first Jefferson College building in Canonsburg was the Stone College Building, which was constructed on land donated Colonel John Canon
John Canon
John Canon was an American Revolutionary soldier, miller, judge, and businessman, who founded three towns, including Canonsburg, Pennsylvania, which bears his name....
. It was demolished in 1843 to make room for a new town hall.
Providence Hall, a red brick building with a tower, housed classrooms, the college library, and the refectory
Refectory
A refectory is a dining room, especially in monasteries, boarding schools and academic institutions. One of the places the term is most often used today is in graduate seminaries...
. It was built in 1832. The name was suggested by Moses Allen, who was President of the Board and the son-in-law John McMillan
John McMillan (pastor)
John McMillan was a prominent Presbyterian minister and missionary in Western Pennsylvania when that area was part of the American Frontier. He founded the first school west of the Allegheny Mountains, which is now known as John McMillan's Log School...
, the college's founder. It had three floors plus a basement, but a peak on the roof gave the impression of a fifth floor. From 1832 to 1890 it was a meeting place for Presbyterian Church of Canonsburg. In 1966, it was razed to build a junior high school
Canon-McMillan School District
The Canon-McMillan School District is a public school district covering the Borough of Canonsburg and Cecil Township and North Strabane Township in Washington County, Pennsylvania...
.
West College Building was razed 1912 to build a high school.
Four dormitory buildings, called "Forts," housed Jefferson students: Fort Ballantine, Fort McClelland, Fort Hunt, and Fort Armstrong. Two other buildings were constructed on campus, including a College President's home that was demolished in 1938 to build the Canonsburg Armory, and another home built in 1815 that housed college presidents and professors that was demolished in 1966.