Alumni House (William & Mary)
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The Alumni House, formerly known as the Bright House, is a 19th-century building located on The College of William & Mary’s campus in the middle of historic Williamsburg, Virginia.[1]
Original parts of the house were thought to date back to 1871.[1] Recently discovered watercolors of the campus, however, revealed that the Alumni House is an antebellum structure.[2] A long-lost panoramic watercolor of Williamsburg painted by a Union mapmaker, Robert Knox Sneden, was found and dated back to before the American Civil War. Though the buildings in his painting are misnamed because of some confusion on his behalf, the geographical layout remained consistent with the present-day campus buildings that were in existence during that time.[2] The Alumni House, then, is one of only several buildings on the College's entire campus to have witnessed, first-hand, a Civil War battle in Williamsburg.[2]
During the house’s existence, it has been home to the William & Mary Kappa Alpha Order fraternity, World War II veterans and College faculty.[1] The Bright House became the Alumni House in 1973 after the W&M Alumni Association set out on a campaign to raise funds for some renovations to the building. Despite the modifications, the house still retains a mid-19th century identity.[1] The Alumni House is sometimes used as the headquarters to host meetings pertaining to public interest.[3] James City County, York County and the City of Williamsburg have utilized the building.
The biggest room in the Alumni House is the Leadership Hall, which can accommodate 120 people for a seated dinner and nearly 180 for a standup reception.[1] The house also contains a library, baby grand piano and several other large rooms suited for hosting large numbers of people. Each room in the house is named after distinguished alumni.[1]
Directly outside, facing Zable Stadium, is the Elizabeth and T.C. Clarker Memorial Plaza, which is paved with hundreds of engraved bricks that commemorate special people, times and places in William & Mary history.[1] The Plaza can comfortably seat 250 people for catered events.
[edit] External links
[edit] References
- ^ a b c d e f g Alumni House history – wm.edu. Accessed April 22, 2008.
- ^ a b c William & Mary Alumni Magazine - A Civil War Watercolor Casts Light on the True Age of the Alumni House. Accessed April 24, 2008.
- ^ The Daily Press: Public can discuss hospital's vacant land. "The meetings will be at the college's Alumni House on Richmond Road starting at 7 p.m. on April 21 and April 23. The April 22 session, closed to the public, will only be for certain officials to hear specific suggestions." Accessed April 23, 2008.
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