To show the age of campus buildings
Created by lcb48 on Jan 11, 2011
Last updated: 01/19/11 at 11:44 AM
629 S. Main St.
Bristol Gymnasium
Robert A. Bristol Gymnasium
Built by William J. King, Jr. of Buffalo. Helen Gould (King's wife) opened the house as King's Inn in 1912. Purchased by Helen Hall Houghton 1913. Given to the Colleges 1943 and used as a William Smith dormitory. Became the Art of Music Center in 1970.
159 St. Clair Street. Built by Jacob Farr. The house has had multiple owners and many connections to the colleges: General Swift was a Hobart Professor, Erastus Rogers was a Hobart graduate, Fraternities dined at the house when it was a boarding house, and William Smith students frequently went to the house when it was a tea room, and William Scandling a Hobart alum and founder of SAGA bought the residence in 1959. (HWS press release). In 1915 the house was renovated by I. Edgar Hill. Beverly Chew gave the house the name Hillcrest. In 1962 it became a William Smith College residence. In 1982 it became the home of the William Smith College Dean.
Between Geneva Hall and Trinity , burned in 1885. Contractor and Architect was A. A. Bird of Ithaca. Original use was as the first building for the Medical Institution of Geneva College. In 1846 it was refurbished to house the library, recitation rooms and President's office.
623 South Main Uncertain if it was built in 1829, or 1832. Built by William E. Sill. Currently in use as a Small Theme House.
The Old President's House, located at the foot of Colt's Hill on the southwest corner of Exchange and Washington Streets. The house was purchased by the college in 1840 for $2,500. (Hobart Herald 3/1887 V. 8 pg 132) In 1844 it was sold to President Hale and then resold to the college in 1858. (Hobart Herald 3/1887 V. 8 pg 132) The building ceased to be the President's house in 1885. (Hobart Herald 3/1887 V. 8 pg 132)
Small building to the right of Geneva Hall in the picture. Also known as the "School House" located next to the chapel. A small wooden structure seen in many of the early images of South Main Street buildings. From January 2, 1829-July 31, 1832 the Academic school was kept in this building where lectures, debates, and meetings were held. (Hobart Herald 3/1887 V. 8 pg 132) In 1847-1848 the building was fitted as a chapel. (Hobart Herald 3/1887 V. 8 pg 132) Since 1868 the building has been used as a science building, a gymnasium, a residence, and a refectory. (Hobart Herald 3/1887 V. 8 pg 132) At 1 am on October 9, 1901 the Polyonomous building burned. (Hobart Herald undated)
No longer standing. A small brick building that was originally a boarding house owned by Miss Catharine Post of Utica, N.Y. (Hobart Herald 3/1887 V. 8 pg 132) In 1837-1838 the Post house was purchased by the college for $1,600 but the deed was not passed until July 1, 1845 (Hobart Herald 3/1887 V. 8 pg 132) From 1840-1847 the house was the residence of Professor David Prentice (Hobart Herald 3/1887 V. 8 pg 132) From 1850-1868 the house was the residence of Professor W. D. Wilson who had a meteorological observatory on the north side of the house. (Hobart Herald 3/1887 V. 8 pg 132) From 1868-? The house was the residence of Professor H. L. Smith who added a small astronomical observatory (Hobart Herald 3/1887 V. 8 pg 132)
678 South Main Street Dean Milton Haight Turk, and Elon Howard Eaton had lived in the house prior to 1965 when it was renamed in honor of Dr. Harris. Named for Alexander Logan Harris (1886-1965), Professor of Modern Languages for 53 years. Built by Miss Catherine Post who kept it as a college boarding house. She married Reverend Henry Gregory, of the first class that graduated from Hobart. Purchased by the College in 1837 for $1,600. Remodeled in 1938 as a dormitory for non-fraternity students. (Herald 1/15/1965) Remodeled in 1957 from the Hobart Alumni Fund to reconstruct the interior into its present form. (Herald 1/15/1965)
616 South Main Street. The house's original owner was Henry V.R. Schermerhorn. Additionally, the house had several owners including Edward Cook, H. 1895, whose heirs sold it to the colleges in 1974. Named for Bishop William Heathcote DeLancy (1797-1865) who lived in the house from 1854 until 1865 and was the first Episcopal Bishop of Western New York President Rensselear, 1871-1876, lived in it from 1869-1882. It has since been used as a faculty house, guest house, and meeting house. Much of the exterior of the house remains unchanged with the exception of the color.
574 South Main Street. Built by Reverend Henry Dwight.
584 South Main. Built by Mr. Schermerhorn
648 South Main Street. Masons were Levi Judd and John Huddleston, materials used were bastard limestone brought up from the lake (Hobart Herald 3/1887 V. 8 pg 132) Named Geneva Hall because it was largely built and financed by the citizens of Geneva. The cost of construction according to a contract was $4,600 (Hobart Herald 3/1887 V. 8 pg 132) It originally housed all the offices, chapel, library, and student rooms until Trinity and the Middle Building were built. It is the oldest standing academic building in Western New York. In 1877-1878 the building was refitted and supplied with gas, steam-heat, water and other modern conveniences, at a cost of about $5,000 (Hobart Herald 3/1887 V. 8 pg 132) Since 1879 it has been a dormitory (notebook item 001) In 1929 all floors and partitions were removed within the old walls and roof to create a fireproof interior according to the plans of I.E. Hill (notebook item 001) Renovated - plastered and painted in 1981. Geneva Hall was newly renovated for the fall of 1998, with new floors (carpet and tile), paint, loftable furniture, new bathrooms, and upgraded lounge space. Further renovations occurred in 2004, which included upgrading the lounges.
573 South Main Street. Originally built by Mr. Arad Joy and through several more owners passed into the estate of Joseph H. Tuttle and from whose heirs it passed to the Kappa Alpha fraternity. The ownership changed, and it is now leased by the Chi Phi fraternity. The original building, remodeled, still stands. During the Spring 2005 semester, an unfortunate fire damaged the third floor of the house. The Colleges renovated the house during the spring and summer of 2005.
593 South Main Street. Built by John Collins. A number of people associated with the colleges subsequently owned it: daughters of Bishop DeLancey, Francis Viele, Hobart 1888. Presently the house of the Provost. Named for Blanchard Bartlett Walker who gave the funds to purchase the building in 1992.
606 South Main Street. Original owner was John Ramsey. Renovated in 1830 by the architect Robert Stoddard. Given to the Colleges in 1975 by David H. Henry, Hobart 1939, in memory of his parents David M. and Dorothy B. Henry who bought the house in 1936. It was designated an historic building in 1965.
183 Hamilton Street. The property was purchased in 1806 by James Rees, one of the very important founders of Geneva College. Other notable Geneva owners included the Endicotts and DeZengs. One of three estates on the "Ridge" - Blackwell, McCormick and Judge Foot's House on DeLancey Drive- That existed in the 19th Century with commanding views of Seneca Lake with very little in the way of those views. Named for Mary Ellen McCormick, Dean of William Smith College, 1936-1944, in 1941. The entire estate was sold to the colleges in 1941, consisting of the house and acres. The original house was destroyed by fire in 1851, the only remaining features of the 1806 house are the brick archway, a stone fireplace, a brick shaft to the left of the stone fireplace, and several parts of the original foundation. In 2004, McCormick house underwent more updates, including renovating the bathrooms of the house and upgrading the stairwells.
624 South Main Street. Built by Mrs. Gavin Lawson, became the rectory for Trinity Church 1825-1852, and then sold to James Simons. Purchased by Mrs. Charles Delameter Vail (Helen Houghton) in 1901. C. D. Vail, Hobart 1859, was a long time professor and librarian at Hobart and he and Mrs. Vail considered this their "town house" and Houghton House their country estate and the present VFW their beach house. The original house remains, but north and west wings were added later in 1901. Sigma Phi lost their house in 2005 and it is presently a dormitory.
639 South Main Street. Was originally a land speculators office, moved from foot of Colt's Hill on the southwest corner of Exchange and Washington in 1838 to its present site. Purchased and enlarged by Benjamin Hale in 1844. Hale added marble to the interior of the house as well as changed the front door of the house from the side facing the street to its present location on the side. Sold to the colleges in 1858 and became the president's residence, and occupied by subsequent presidents until 1885. It later became the home of William Pitt Durfee, first Dean of Hobart and professor of Mathematics from 1884-1929. Both W.P Durfee and his son W. H. Durfee served as interim presidents during their long tenures at the Colleges. In addition to a residence, the house has been used for classrooms, the faculty club, and the Hobart Admissions building. Became the Communications building in July 2006
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