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| ====== The Long Walk ====== | ====== The Long Walk ====== |
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| Comprised of [[seabury_hall|Seabury]] and [[jarvis_hall|Jarvis]] Halls (1878) and [[northam_towers|Northam Towers]] (1883), the oldest buildings on the [[summit_campus|Summit Campus]], the Long Walk is considered the finest example of High Victorian Collegiate Gothic architecture in America. | Comprised of [[seabury_hall|Seabury]] and [[jarvis_hall|Jarvis]] Halls (1878) and [[northam_towers|Northam Towers]] (1883), the oldest buildings on the [[summit_campus|Summit Campus]], the Long Walk is considered the finest example of High Victorian Collegiate Gothic architecture in America. |
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| Soon after arriving in London, Jackson visited many educational and ecclesiastical centers including Eton College, Oxford, Stratford-on-Avon, the monastery of the Cowley Fathers, the Parliament House at Westminster, and the British Museum. Jackson met an architectural historian named John Henry Parker in Oxford, who recommended two architects for the mission, one of whom was [[burges_william|William Burges]] (1827-1881). While today Burges is considered one of England’s most distinguished architects and a practitioner of the High Victorian Gothic style, he was relatively little-known at the time Jackson introduced himself. Following his first meeting with Burges, Jackson offered him the opportunity to design Trinity’s new buildings. The College thus became the only commission Burges undertook in the United States. | Soon after arriving in London, Jackson visited many educational and ecclesiastical centers including Eton College, Oxford, Stratford-on-Avon, the monastery of the Cowley Fathers, the Parliament House at Westminster, and the British Museum. Jackson met an architectural historian named John Henry Parker in Oxford, who recommended two architects for the mission, one of whom was [[burges_william|William Burges]] (1827-1881). While today Burges is considered one of England’s most distinguished architects and a practitioner of the High Victorian Gothic style, he was relatively little-known at the time Jackson introduced himself. Following his first meeting with Burges, Jackson offered him the opportunity to design Trinity’s new buildings. The College thus became the only commission Burges undertook in the United States. |
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| Jackson and Burges toured Oxford together "to examine the Colleges" and Jackson took notes on Brasenose (Jackson spelled it "Braez Noze"), Pembroke, All Souls, Jesus and Keble Colleges, the Bodleian Library, and the Sheldonian Theatre. He then set off for Scotland while Burges began drawing initial plans for a college to include residence quarters, dining hall, chapel, library, and theatre. Jackson was especially inspired by Trinity College, Glenalmond, a Scottish Episcopal secondary school for boys. This Trinity College had a closed quadrangle campus with a "Long Walk" façade of Victorian gothic buildings. As was customary in Anglican institutions, Trinity was designed as a series of quadrangles inspired by varied other institutions Jackson had noted. | Jackson and Burges toured Oxford together "to examine the Colleges" and Jackson took notes on Brasenose (Jackson spelled it "Braez Noze"), Pembroke, All Souls, Jesus and Keble Colleges, the Bodleian Library, and the Sheldonian Theatre. He then set off for Scotland while Burges began drawing initial plans for a college to include residence quarters, a dining hall, chapel, library, and theatre. Jackson was especially inspired by Trinity College, Glenalmond, a Scottish Episcopal secondary school for boys. This Trinity College had a closed quadrangle campus with a "Long Walk" façade of Victorian gothic buildings. As was customary in Anglican institutions, Trinity was designed as a series of quadrangles inspired by varied other institutions Jackson had noted. |
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| [{{:191033.jpg?direct&400 |William Burges four-quadrangle plan for Trinity College. Photo credit: Trinity College Archives}}] | [{{:191033.jpg?direct&400 |William Burges' four-quadrangle plan for Trinity College. Photo credit: Trinity College Archives}}] |
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| Jackson returned to Hartford in September 1872 with Burges’s initial sketches, and, working with a Trustee committee, examined several possibilities for a new campus. In February 1873, Jackson prepared a report on the committee’s behalf recommending the purchase of a tract of land at Rocky Ridge, south of Hartford’s commercial center. The Trustees accepted the proposal for what would later be known as the Summit Campus. In the summer, Jackson again conferred with Burges in London. In October, the Trustees engaged Francis Hatch Kimball (1845-1919), an American architect based in Hartford, to supervise construction. They also authorized him to work with Burges in London and become conversant with the design for Trinity. | Jackson returned to Hartford in September 1872 with Burges’ initial sketches, and, working with a Trustee committee, examined several possibilities for a new campus. In February 1873, Jackson prepared a report on the committee’s behalf recommending the purchase of a tract of land at Rocky Ridge, south of Hartford’s commercial center. The Trustees accepted the proposal for what would later be known as the Summit Campus. In the summer, Jackson again conferred with Burges in London. In October, the Trustees engaged [[kimball_francis_h|Francis Hatch Kimball]] (1845-1919), an American architect based in Hartford, to supervise construction. They also authorized him to work with Burges in London and become conversant with the design for Trinity. |
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| President Jackson died suddenly in April 1874, but the project moved forward. Kimball returned in October with the completed drawings and began working with Trinity’s new president, the [[pynchon_thomas_ruggles|Rev. Thomas Ruggles Pynchon]], Class of 1841, to adapt Burges’s plans to the Rocky Ridge site. Kimball recommended reducing four quadrangles to three, and with advice from the landscape designer [[olmsted_frederick_law|Frederick Law Olmsted]] (1822-1903), Kimball and Pynchon decided to situate the Long Walk on the ridge line. The Trustees were enthusiastic about this plan, but agreed that the entire campus should not begin construction all at once. The Long Walk was part of the "first stage" of construction which included the Library, Dining Hall, a block of lecture rooms, and dormitories. | President Jackson died suddenly in April 1874, but the project moved forward. Kimball returned in October with the completed drawings and began working with Trinity’s new [[presidents|president]], the [[pynchon_thomas_ruggles|Rev. Thomas Ruggles Pynchon]], Class of 1841, to adapt Burges’ plans to the Rocky Ridge site. Kimball recommended reducing four quadrangles to three, and with advice from the landscape designer [[olmsted_frederick_law|Frederick Law Olmsted]] (1822-1903), Kimball and Pynchon decided to situate the Long Walk on the ridge line. The Trustees were enthusiastic about this plan, but agreed that the entire campus should not begin construction all at once. The Long Walk was part of the "first stage" of construction which included the Library, Dining Hall, a block of lecture rooms, and dormitories. |
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| ===== Construction ===== | ===== Construction ===== |
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| Groundbreaking for the Long Walk took place on [[commencement|Commencement]] Day, July 1, 1875. After the ceremony, which took place on the old campus, there was a procession to the Summit Campus where, near where Jarvis Hall stands today, "Bishop Williams read the Lord's Prayer and a collect and then the President, the Chancellor, and [[williams_james_h|Professor Jim]] turned the first sod." After a flag-raising and more hymns and celebration, the procession returned to the old campus for a reception. Excavation and construction on the first two buildings began in earnest. | Groundbreaking for the Long Walk took place on [[commencement|Commencement]] Day, July 1, 1875. After the ceremony, which took place on the old campus, there was a procession to the Summit Campus where, near where Jarvis Hall stands today, "Bishop Williams read the Lord's Prayer and a collect and then the President, the [[chancellor_of_the_college|Chancellor]], and [[staff|Professor Jim]] turned the first sod." After a flag-raising and more hymns and celebration, the procession returned to the old campus for a reception. Excavation and construction on the first two buildings began in earnest. |
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| //During the winter of 1877-1878, the final touches were put on the new buildings. The northern building, which the Trustees named Jarvis Hall, turned out to be a dormitory of even greater comfort and splendor than anyone had ever imagined. Seabury Hall, the southern building, contained classrooms, laboratory, cabinet, faculty offices, commons, and chapel. And these quarters were splendidly executed...Located on the second floor of Seabury, [the chapel's] exposed beams and trefoil windows with colored glass added a "churchly" touch that had been lacking in the old Chapel. And the chapel pews, arranged in choir (or collegiate) form were as Anglican as anything that Abner Jackson had seen at Oxford or Cambridge. The Commons, which the Trustees had reluctantly provided, was located in the basement of the north-end of Seabury. The Commons was also designated as the "Picture Gallery" where were hung the portraits of the college presidents, and as the Picture Gallery the room was usually known.//((Weaver, p. 185)) | //During the winter of 1877-1878, the final touches were put on the new buildings. The northern building, which the Trustees named Jarvis Hall, turned out to be a dormitory of even greater comfort and splendor than anyone had ever imagined. Seabury Hall, the southern building, contained classrooms, laboratory, cabinet, faculty offices, commons, and chapel. And these quarters were splendidly executed...Located on the second floor of Seabury, [the chapel's] exposed beams and trefoil windows with colored glass added a "churchly" touch that had been lacking in the old Chapel. And the chapel pews, arranged in choir (or collegiate) form were as Anglican as anything that Abner Jackson had seen at Oxford or Cambridge. The Commons, which the Trustees had reluctantly provided, was located in the basement of the north-end of Seabury. The Commons was also designated as the "Picture Gallery" where were hung the portraits of the college presidents, and as the Picture Gallery the room was usually known.//((Weaver, p. 185)) |
| ===== Sources ===== | ===== Sources ===== |
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| [[https://digitalrepository.trincoll.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1001&context=exhibitions|They Should Stand for Ages]] (2008) by Peter Knapp. | [[https://www.jstor.org/stable/community.34515881|They Should Stand for Ages]] (2008) by Peter Knapp. |
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| [[https://digitalrepository.trincoll.edu/w_books/2/|Trinity College in the Twentieth Century]] (2000) by Peter and Anne Knapp, pp. 506-507. | [[https://digitalrepository.trincoll.edu/w_books/2/|Trinity College in the Twentieth Century]] (2000) by Peter and Anne Knapp, pp. 506-507. |
