Old Queens: Difference between revisions
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In 1825, Colonel [[Henry Rutgers]], an American Revolutionary War Hero and philanthropist from [[New York City]] gave the fledgling Queens College a $5,000 bond and a bell. The Trustees renamed the institution in honor of Colonel Rutgers. The bell, known as the Old Queens Bell, was hung in the cupola of Old Queens to chime the passing of classes.<ref name="years" /> It remains there today, and is rung on special occasions, such as at Commencement exercise in May and in recognition of athletic teams who have won national conferences.<ref>[http://www.scarletknights.com/tradition/tradition.asp Tradition at www.scarletknights.com], accessed on 10 September 2006.</ref> The cupola was donated by Stephen Van Rensellaer in 1825.<ref name="paths" /> |
In 1825, Colonel [[Henry Rutgers]], an American Revolutionary War Hero and philanthropist from [[New York City]] gave the fledgling Queens College a $5,000 bond and a bell. The Trustees renamed the institution in honor of Colonel Rutgers. The bell, known as the Old Queens Bell, was hung in the cupola of Old Queens to chime the passing of classes.<ref name="years" /> It remains there today, and is rung on special occasions, such as at Commencement exercise in May and in recognition of athletic teams who have won national conferences.<ref>[http://www.scarletknights.com/tradition/tradition.asp Tradition at www.scarletknights.com], accessed on 10 September 2006.</ref> The cupola was donated by Stephen Van Rensellaer in 1825.<ref name="paths" /> |
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The building included recitation rooms on the first floor, a Chapel and the library on the second floor, and wings on each side that served as living quarters for the faculty of the College.<ref name="paths" /> |
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Today, Old Queens houses the top administrative offices of Rutgers University, especially that of the University's president. |
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==Architecture== |
==Architecture== |
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Revision as of 09:24, 10 September 2006
Old Queens is the oldest building at Rutgers University in New Brunswick, New Jersey (USA) and the seat of the university's administration. Designed by noted architect John McComb, Old Queens is regarded today by architectural experts as one of the finest examples of Federal architecture. Old Queens was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1976.[1]
History
The Old Queens campus is rife with history dating several years before the construction of the Old Queens building. During the American Revolution, Alexander Hamilton commanded a battery of artillery which fired upon British positions under the command of William Howe, 5th Viscount Howe to provide time for General George Washington to escape south through New Brunswick in 1777 following the fall of New York City.
Old Queens was designed by John McComb, Jr. a noted architect who designed the Hamilton Grange (1802) in Harlem for Alexander Hamilton, Castle Clinton (1808) on Lower Manhattan's Battery Park (1808), and the New York City Hall (1803)
Named after Queen's College, the earliest name for Rutgers, the cornerstone for Old Queens was laid on 27 April 1809 by Reverend Ira Condict, the college's third president. Due to the young college's financial difficulty, the building was not completed until 1825. Classes began within the completed portions of the building as early as 1811 for Queen's College (now Rutgers University), Queen's College Grammar School (now Rutgers Preparatory School), and the New Brunswick Theological Seminary. The New Brunswick Theological Seminary moved in 1856 to a new 7-acre (28,000 m²) campus less than one-half mile away, as a result of overcrowding. The Grammar School moved across the street several years earlier in 1830.[2][3]
In 1825, Colonel Henry Rutgers, an American Revolutionary War Hero and philanthropist from New York City gave the fledgling Queens College a $5,000 bond and a bell. The Trustees renamed the institution in honor of Colonel Rutgers. The bell, known as the Old Queens Bell, was hung in the cupola of Old Queens to chime the passing of classes.[2] It remains there today, and is rung on special occasions, such as at Commencement exercise in May and in recognition of athletic teams who have won national conferences.[4] The cupola was donated by Stephen Van Rensellaer in 1825.[3]
The building included recitation rooms on the first floor, a Chapel and the library on the second floor, and wings on each side that served as living quarters for the faculty of the College.[3]
Today, Old Queens houses the top administrative offices of Rutgers University, especially that of the University's president.
Architecture
Constructed of brownstone, the façade of Old Queens incorporates classical motifs such as Doric pilasters, and low-height gables resembling those on ancient Greek and Roman temples, a cupola housing the Old Queens Bell and handmade glass windowpanes. In each of the gables, elliptical windows are present.
Old Queens Campus
The Old Queens Campus as a whole was recognized with inclusion on the National Register of Historic Places in 1973.
Other buildings neighboring Old Queens on the Old Queens Campus, include:
- President's House (1841, demolished 1962)
- Van Nest Hall (1845)
- Daniel S. Schanck Observatory (1865)
- Geology Hall (1872)
- Kirkpatrick Chapel (1873)
- Winants Hall (1890)
The Old Queens campus is accessed through four gateways, the Henry Rutgers Baldwin Gateway (erected 1901) on College Avenue, named for Henry Rutgers Baldwin (Class of 1849), the Class of 1883 Memorial Gateway at the corner of George and Somerset Streets (erected in 1904), the Class of 1882 Gateway (erected 1907) at the corner of Somerset Street and College Avenue, and the Class of 1902 Memorial Gateway (erected in 1904) on Hamilton Street leading to the Voorhees Mall and the academic buildings on Rutgers University's College Avenue Campus. It is through this last gate that graduating seniors walk during Commencement exercises in May.[3]
References
- ^ National Register of Historic Places - List of sites in Middlesex County, New Jersey accessed 10 September 2006.
- ^ a b "Rutgers Through the Years Timeline". Rutgers University. Retrieved 2006-09-10.
- ^ a b c d "Paths to Historic Rutgers: A Self-Guided Tour". Rutgers University. Retrieved 2006-09-10.
- ^ Tradition at www.scarletknights.com, accessed on 10 September 2006.