Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1918-05-09

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Science hail, in 1894. The first college
building proper was not begun until
seven years later. in 1901. This lapse
| of seven years WITS due to the absence
in Europe of Gen. Ira Allen on business
for the state, and nothing constructive
was undertaken during that time. Gen.
| Allen was not the president of the
| corporation, but he seems to have been
the executive leader and the moving
spirit of 1t. During his absence the
members Of the corporation swindled
the university Of all it's land except
one and one-half acres about tho one
building that had been built.
| FIRST COLLEGE EDITICE.
The first college edifice was built of
brick. was four stories high. 100 feet
long. As feet wide at the ends and rs
feet wide at the center. 1t was built
In the shape of a cross and was sur
mounted by n tower. There was suf-
| f1cent room to accommodate n goodly
number of students and some apparatus.
The soil of the campus was wet for
the most part, especially so at the
southern end. There were numerous
| springs located upon 1t and these
springs formed the source of water for
the old aquedict company which fur
nished water to many of the homes of
the nearby village. The shape Of the
original front campus was the same as H.
day. according to early maps
The first map wo find showing tho
campus Is one made in 1915 and : !.
part Of n survey OF some land to tho
north Only tho north half shows an.
it IS labeled the college Green" I.
shows tina. tho FIRST college hall was
bull. about where the Old Mil. is now.
Where tho Billings library now stands
there was a two-story house. painted
white and owned by Gov. c. +. Van
Ness. later occupied by President Marsh
and later still by the late Prof. McKen-
dree Petty. On the very corner, beyond
the present presidents home. was. in
1916. a house occupied by a man by the
name Of Foote. On the extreme north
end of the campus, opposite the Medical
College, was situated a store known
as Chittendens store. The house op-
poslte the north end of University place
was the home of Mr.. Pearl. for whom,
Pearl street was named. This house
Is conceded to be the oldest house in
Burlirgt Where the Medical College
now stands was the store and house
of Harry Bradley. later occupied by Levi
Underwood. On what is now a vacant
lot on the corner of Pearl and Prospect
streets was hotel owned in 1916 by a
man named Bernard. 1t was built in
1883. according to record. and was named
at first. the Green Mountain House.
and later the Pearl Street House"
Some will still remember the old sign
that hung over the door even after it be-
came Catholic school. On the west side
Of the campus. across the street. were
two buildings in 1915, the nature and
ownership of which / could not ascertain
What Is now Colchester avenue was. in
1916, 1.-The road to the falls" and what is
now North Prospect street was then the
road to the intervae." Pearl street now
was Pearl street then, named after Mr.
Pearl. In 1876 the head of Pearl street
was the center of one of the two viii
lagos that went to make up Burlington
the other being at the foot of King street
on the water 'front.'
GOVERNMENT TAKES BUILDING.
The year 1914 saw the college building
taken over by the government and uset
, first as an arsenal and then bar
/ racks. After the war; however the gov
eminent repaired completely the build
ing and the suspended college exercises
were resumed. In 1924 the one colleg,
( building was destroyed by fire. but thu
new ones were started the next year
, The new college was built in three parts
North, middle and south college Their
z was a space of only 10 or u feet between
D north and middle and between middl
and south. North college was built frs
and 1t was the corner stone of soutl
college that General Lafayette laid il
1925. A heavy wooden fence fianked bot
l. sides of the drive that Is now Univer
!, sity place, completely encircling the 10
between the drive and Prospect stree
Ioc un11 tn ho h,,i1
ings from the street. The fence was
Y three-railed affair with heavy woode
r posts. 1t was first painted white an
d later dull brown. Two large woode
n gates each surmounted by an arch wer
{ at either end of a wide path across tn
= campus to the head Of College street
= History tells us that these gates wer
o opened only for the annual commence
: ment procession. There were turn-style
8 on either side of these great gates. a
also two at each end Of the green an
e others on the west side. The back cam
q pus was pasture through which ran
e small brook. This was covered by
e pine woods, part of which is still stand
10 ing.
s A map made in 1880 shows the north hal
II of the campus laid out in two city block
d so at that time the northern limit OF Il,
" College Green was not far from n lin
IS drawn east and west through tie preser
y position OF the fountain. There was ais
I. lot with buildings UPON II on the sout
= end OF the green and tire cellar and oil
we'll may be seen In outline. now. directl
3 opposite Dean Votcy's residence. Oh
l. cellar outlines on The extreme north en-
Is OF tho campus show that buildings stoo
e on each corner. Those two buildings ar
II shown on the map o: 1890. Cf.'versity plac
IF was then High street. Seth Frospcc
% street. ssu;h cf Main. was futile stree
y South Prospect bot ~cer Main and Pea
% We W'.l.s;op s.yoAt Tradition Eas
:. th'.t TIE old W.ll!ston stage roaG I'd
~ 'iagorf.lly a-;oss The campus from souti
ess' TO northwest i3ut Whistler this ia S
: o: thu. It went round n. soLthwes. col
~ n'T - n'': d,caitsiv Hnowr. TIC oil
Wi:oosk! turnpike came I'D Main sire.
=. Anr E.uat have crossed 20 the head
;. Fear street along tina west side of Il
"a Campus. !.s course was later changed
I. order IN a"oid tho steep nil or Nal
street. "a. this time Moses Catiin IN
u. butt 20: of buildings where Morrill, ha
), nov stt.ids Mrs, B. L. Benedict OF III
u class OF 1858, tells us that tho little grou
+, OF pines In the north center of the ca,npu
a whe-o claos day exercises are usual
4. held We're set out by Chauncey Goodrich
o. wHll-known printer and publisher, wi
ia lived opposite the grove in a brick hous
"a tjoiaing sne c'orrey property, situate
10 On VIA: Is now a vacant lot off the we
I'd Side @. the campus. Many of the 9th,
It trees OF, the campus were set out fro
e. year to year by the different classes I'll
a-ta -