West College: A National Historic Landmark

West College: A National Historic Landmark (HMNM8)

Location: Carlisle, PA 17013 Cumberland County
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Country: United States of America
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N 40° 12.127', W 77° 11.708'

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Inscription

Walking Tour Stop 16

West College - known affectionately as Old West - traces its roots to February 1803, when the college's main building burned to the ground after four years of costly construction. In a bind, the college trustees appealed for help. Benjamin Latrobe, recently appointed architect of the U.S. Capitol, designed the new structure free of charge. His plans recommended a limestone fa?ade in place of the original brick. Latrobe's contribution, along with donations from Thomas Jefferson, James Madison and other prominent patriots, ensured the building's swift reconstruction.

The cornerstone of Old West was placed on August 8, 1803. The building hosted its first classes in November 1805 and housed its first undergraduates in 1810. Future U.S. President James Buchanan, class of 1809, was among the first students to study in the new building.

In 1963 Old West was designated a Registered National Historic Landmark. Home to administrative offices and classrooms, Old West continues to be the centerpiece of Dickinson's 115-acre campus.
Details
HM NumberHMNM8
Tags
Placed ByHistoric Carlisle, Inc
Marker ConditionNo reports yet
Date Added Thursday, September 11th, 2014 at 4:41am PDT -07:00
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Locationbig map
UTM (WGS84 Datum)18T E 313169 N 4452501
Decimal Degrees40.20211667, -77.19513333
Degrees and Decimal MinutesN 40° 12.127', W 77° 11.708'
Degrees, Minutes and Seconds40° 12' 7.62" N, 77° 11' 42.48" W
Driving DirectionsGoogle Maps
Area Code(s)717
Closest Postal AddressAt or near 201-299 W High St, Carlisle PA 17013, US
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