President's House (Clemson University)

The President’s House was built in 1959 to serve as the living quarters for each President at Clemson University. It has been the home to eight different Clemson Presidents and serves as a key location on the University's campus. This is especially the case for new and incoming students because at the beginning of each year, new students are invited to a picnic on the president’s lawn in front of the house. This gives students the chance to meet the President for the first time.

The house is located at 120 Cherry Road in Clemson, South Carolina. When arriving to campus from I-85 (SC) it is the first building people see. Also at night the building has a unique image portrayed on it. Projected on to the building in Clemson Orange is the Tiger Paw logo.

Presidents

H. Aubrey Strode (1890 - 1893) was the first president of Clemson Agricultural College. No student ever attended Clemson during Strode’s presidency, but he was responsible for the construction of the college and hiring of professors. At the time, the Board of Trustees was not extremely concerned about the living arrangements of the college president, so Strode was given a few rooms in Fort Hill.

Edwin B. Craighead (1893 - 1897) is best known for creating “support facilities” for students. He was also the first president preside over Clemson students and Clemson’s first graduates. Craighead was also the first president to live in a designated president’s house. Though construction began under Strode, construction of the old president’s house was not completed until 1893. The old president’s house was located on the same street as the present day house.

Henry S. Hartzog (1897 - 1902) increased the size of many departments on campus, including textiles, chemistry, engineering, and agricultural research. Hartzog was also responsible for marketing the importance of college athletics.

Patrick H. Mell (1902 - 1910) was the most powerful president of his time. He also encouraged stricter admission standards pushed for Clemson to become an institute for higher education.

Walter M. Riggs (1911 - 1924) gave Clemson University a competitive edge and further increased academic awareness and standards. Shortly before Riggs’ presidency, he built a large new house. When Riggs became president in 1911, he did not want to move out of his new house, especially since it was right next door to the existing president’s home.

Enoch W. Sikes (1925 - 1940) not only led Clemson through one of the darkest times in American History, the Great Depression, he also brought Clemson to its first national academic accreditation. The university size grew tremendously under Sikes.

Robert Franklin Poole (1940-1958) was the first Clemson president with a degree from the school. He led Clemson through World War II and the difficult times that followed. He is also remembered for laying the foundation for Memorial Stadium to enhance Clemson athletics.

Robert C. Edwards (1958-1979) served the longest term of any of the Clemson presidents. Noted for integrating the school from a military school to a co-educational college. Edwards was first President to live in the President’s House.

Bill L. Atchley (1979-1985) pushed for Clemson to become a more research-oriented institution and laid the ground works for the Strom Thurmond Institute.

Walter T. Cox (1985-1986) was a longtime student affairs administrator who served as president after the resignation of Bill Atchley. Noted for presiding during the NCAA investigation of Clemson football team.

A. Max Lennon (1986-1994) led the university’s first multi-million dollar capital campaign, which was responsible for raising over $101 million to be put towards research.

Phillip H. Prince (1994-1995) was given the task of reconstructing the administrative and academic divisions of Clemson in response to continuous state funding cuts and an effort to redirect funds from administration to academics. Restructured the nine current colleges into five.

Constantine W. Curris (1995-1999) sought to improve the university’s infrastructure by directing resources to information technology, deferred maintenance, and a new energy plant. Led construction of an agriculture biotechnology building and renovations to Fort Hill and the President’s mansion.

James Frazier Barker (1999-2013), the fifth alumnus to serve as president, came to the office with a vision to enhance Clemson’s national reputation and guided the university to its highest national ranking to date (#21 among national public universities in 2013). On-campus facilities added include the Class of 1956 Academic Success Center, the life sciences facility, Rhodes Annex and numerous athletics projects including the WestZone.

James P. Clements (2014- )became Clemson University’s 15th president on December 31, 2013, after serving nearly five years as president of West Virginia University. He succeeded Jim Barker, who retired after 14 years as Clemson’s president. He is also a Professor in the School of Computing, College of Engineering and Science, at Clemson. Clements is a nationally recognized leader in higher education who currently serves as Chair of the Association of Public and Land-Grant Universities, North America’s oldest higher education association.

President's home

Built in 1959 to match the design of the Fort Hill Plantation, the Mansion is approximately 7,553 square feet. The project, which was funded by the university, was built for the then current president, Robert C Edwards. Built by architects Charles W Fant & Sons Construction Company. The project was finished in fall of 1959 and has been the home to every president of Clemson University ever since its construction. Since its completion, the home has undergone construction in 1976 and 1998. Current President, James P. Clements resides in the home with his wife, Beth, son, Tyler and daughters Hannah, Maggie, and Grace.

Old president's home

The original president’s home was completed in 1893. Originally built by Clemson’s first president, Strode, Craighead was the first to actually live in the house. The second, third, and fourth president’s of Clemson lived in this house, until Walter M. Riggs refused to leave his new, lavish home, for the designated president’s house. After Riggs declined the offer to move into the president’s house, the building was converted to Mell Apartments. In all, the Riggs’ house served as an interim presidential residence for three Clemson presidents (Riggs, Sikes, and Poole). During these years, it was considered faculty housing

Mrs. Poole continued to live in the Riggs’ house, even after her husband died. The following president, R. C. Edwards, moved into what is now the current day President’s house. Shortly after Mrs. Poole died, the Riggs’ house was torn down.

References

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Notes

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