Encyclopedia Trinitiana

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{{tag>places}}
====== Vernon Street ======
[{{ :american-vernonstreeteast-ca_early_20th_century.jpg?400|Vernon Street, looking west, early 20th century. Photo credit: [[https://www.jstor.org/stable/community.34617031|Trinity College Archives]]}}]

Vernon Street (formerly Zachary Lane) runs east-west through Trinity's north campus. Once owned by the City of Hartford, connecting Summit and Broad Streets, the road was closed to thru-traffic in 1994 and is now owned by the College. 

Vernon Street is home to [[fraternities|fraternity]] and [[sororities|sorority]] houses, dormitories, the [[president_s_house|President's House]], the [[smith_house|Smith House]], the [[cornelia_center|Cornelia Center]], and various campus organizations' houses, including the [[zachs_hillel_house|Hillel House]] and [[umoja_house|Umoja House]]. Originally, Vernon street was adjacent to but not part of the College campus. However, the tree-lined road, which sloped uphill and was lined with Queen Anne Victorian homes, was considered the main entrance to campus for many years, as the Long Walk's facade faces East, toward Broad Street. The College [[gates|main gates]] were located on Vernon Street at the President's House, where carriages and later, cars would approach the College by heading toward [[alumni_hall|Alumni Hall]], the location of which is now [[admissions_building|Borges Admissions Center]]. In 1932, the road was eliminated in favor of a sidewalk, and the "main auto entrance" moved to "the north side of the campus on Summit
Street." ((Trinity Tripod, 10/04/1932)) 

In 1994, Vernon Street was closed to public traffic at Broad street with approval from the [[hartford|Hartford]] City Council due to concerns that high crime rates and gang violence were hurting Trinity enrollment, and that cars speeding through Vernon Street as a shortcut to Broad Street endangered students and other pedestrians. Closing Vernon Street redirected heavy traffic to Allen Place, one block away, which concerned neighboring residents.

[{{:1768_vernongates.jpg?375 |The Vernon Gates and cul-de-sac today. Photo credit: The Clio}}]

The move was also seen by some as isolationist, alienating the surrounding community. "The decision to close Vernon Street at Broad Street may increase security but it goes too far, indicating that Trinity is increasingly wary of its location in Hartford," wrote Clay Siegert '96, a perception that he believed was "dangerous." 

In 1997, part of the Trinity College Master Plan called for the reopening of Vernon Street, making it one of the College's main entrances, in conjunction with the [[learning_corridor_initiative|Learning Corridor]] which was being constructed across the street. The Vernon Street Entrance was to be completed within five years, along with several other entrances constructed at various points on campus. It would have a manned security gate and speeding deterrents. 

Edie Lacey, chairwoman of the Frog Hollow Revitalization Zone, said "Keeping up gates and closing streets would just mean Trinity is interested in isolating itself. Taking it down is going to be one of the most important statements they ever make to the neighbors."

Vernon Street, however, was never reopened. Today, it ends in a cul-de-sac with a wrought-iron fence.

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===== Sources =====

[[https://ctw-tc.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/discovery/fulldisplay?docid=cdi_proquest_ebookcentral_EBC6904827&context=PC&vid=01CTW_TC:CTWTC&lang=en&search_scope=DN_and_CI&adaptor=Primo%20Central&tab=Everything&query=any,contains,%20%22in%20the%20shadow%22%20baldwin|In the Shadow of the Ivory Tower]] (2021) by Davarian L. Baldwin.

[[https://digitalrepository.trincoll.edu/w_books/2|Trinity College in the Twentieth Century]] (2000) by Peter and Anne Knapp, p. 499.

[[https://www.proquest.com/hnphartfordcourant/docview/2452808016/B7C02714536E456BPQ/16?accountid=14405|The Hartford Courant]], 4/25/1995.

[[https://www.proquest.com/hnphartfordcourant/docview/2281484214/B7C02714536E456BPQ/7?accountid=14405|The Hartford Courant]], 8/18/1994. 

[[https://www.proquest.com/hnphartfordcourant/docview/2280676030/B7C02714536E456BPQ/2?accountid=14405|The Hartford Courant]], 8/10/1994.

[[http://digitalrepository.trincoll.edu/tripod/2453|Trinity Tripod]], 10/04/1932.

[[https://digitalrepository.trincoll.edu/bulletin/172/|Trinity College Bulletin]], 1931-1932. 
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