West College: A National Historic Landmark

West College: A National Historic Landmark (HMNM8)

Location: Carlisle, PA 17013 Cumberland County
Buy Pennsylvania State flags at Flagstore.com!
Country: United States of America
Buy United States of America flags at Flagstore.com!

N 40° 12.127', W 77° 11.708'

  • 0 likes
  • 0 check ins
  • 0 favorites
  • 690 views
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
Pictures
Sorry, but we don't have a picture of this historical marker yet. If you have a picture, please share it with us. It's simple to do. 1) Become a member. 2) Adopt this historical marker listing. 3) Upload the picture.
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
Alternative Maps Google Maps, MapQuest, Bing Maps, Yahoo Maps, MSR Maps, OpenCycleMap, MyTopo Maps, OpenStreetMap

Is this marker missing? Are the coordinates wrong? Do you have additional information that you would like to share with us? If so, check in.

Nearby Markersshow on map
Check Ins  check in   |    all

Have you seen this marker? If so, check in and tell us about it.

Comments 0 comments

Maintenance Issues
  1. Is this marker part of a series?
  2. What historical period does the marker represent?
  3. What historical place does the marker represent?
  4. What type of marker is it?
  5. What class is the marker?
  6. What style is the marker?
  7. Does the marker have a number?
  8. What year was the marker erected?
  9. This marker needs at least one picture.
  10. Can this marker be seen from the road?
  11. Is the marker in the median?
© 2025  Historical Marker Project.  All Rights Reserved.
All registered trademarks are the property of their respective owners.
HMP is owned and operated by 3RiverDev (Fort Wayne, Indiana).
Terms and Conditions   |   Privacy Policy   |   Disclaimers   |   About   |   Contact Us