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Dedicated in 1993, the James Blair statue stands in honor of the College of William &amp; Mary’s first president, Rev. James Blair. The statue lies between Tyler Hall and Blair Hall and faces away from James Blair Dr. Artist and art historian Lewis Cohen designed and sculpted the statue.   Rev. Blair served the college from its opening in 1693 to until his death 1743 – a 50-year period. In addition to his work at the college, Rev. Blair was an Anglican minister. He initially immigrated to America from Scotland in 1685 to serve as rector for a local parish. Blair continued his clerical work while overseeing the young college, eventually serving as the commissary for the Bishop of London. This position gave Blair influence over the state’s religious life. He also notably served on the council of several Virginia governors. Blair published several works over the course of his career on a variety of political, educational, and religious topics.

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Since 1993, this statue of the College of William & Mary’s first president, Rev. James Blair, has stood between Tyler and Blair Halls. Blair held a variety of political, educational, and religious leadership positions in Virginia after immigrating from Scotland in 1685. Blair served as president of the college for its first 50 years while maintaining his political and religious commitments. The statue was sculpted by Professor Lewis Cohen who also teaches the arts and art history on campus.  

James Blair Statue

Visit some of the notable structures on the campus of the second oldest university in the United States. 

College of William & Mary Walking Tour

Gifted to the History Department at the College of William &amp; Mary in 2004, the Tyler Family Garden is meant to honor the connection between the notable Tyler family and the university. The garden lies outside of James Blair Hall which is home to the history department. It features the busts of three generations of the Tyler family:  Governor John Tyler Sr., President John Tyler, and his son, Lyon Gardiner Tyler. Each man had strong ties to the university and would go on to gain notoriety in their careers. Descendants of these members of the Tyler family funded the construction of the garden which serves as a reminder of their legacy. The history department at the university acknowledges both the good work done by these men on behalf of the university and the racism they espoused.  The most prominent of these men was the controversial US President John Tyler. Son of the aforementioned John Gardiner Tyler, President Tyler was a graduate of William &amp; Mary where he studied law. Tyler became president in 1841 after the death of President William Henry Harrison. Prior to becoming President, John Tyler served as Vice President under William Henry Harrison who died within 33 days of becoming president, effectively making John Tyler the first president to take on the role after the death of a predecessor. As president, Tyler fought for states' rights and was also responsible for the annexation of Texas. It was Tyler's ardent support of states' rights that helped to worsen the divide between the northern and southern states. After leaving the presidency Tyler went on to serve as a member of the Confederate House of Representatives. He held this position until his death in 1862. President Tyler’s father also held political sway. John Tyler Sr. served as a member of the Virginia House of Delegates and later the governor of the state. The elder Tyler was also a William &amp; Mary law graduate and served in the Continental Army during the Revolutionary War. Governor Tyler also held a variety of judicial positions in the state during the course of his career.  Lyon Gardiner Tyler, President Tyler’s son, was another notable figure. Like his father and grandfather, L. G. Tyler studied law at the College of William &amp; Mary. The younger Tyler dedicated himself to the university and served as the school’s president from 1888 to 1919. During this time Tyler was able to help the university recover from financial difficulties. Tyler also notably founded the early American history journal, William &amp; Mary Quarterly. Among Tyler’s accomplishments is a change in policy that allowed white women to attend the college. Racism at the college remained an issue during Tyler’s presidency. African Americans were not permitted to enroll or teach at the university at this time. Tyler infamously expressed viewpoints throughout his tenure that are shared with modern-day white supremacist groups.

The Tyler Family Garden serves as a memorial to Virginia Governor John Tyler Sr., US President John Tyler, and William & Mary President Lyon Gardiner Tyler. These figures have been the source of both local and national controversy. L. G. Tyler helped to allow white women into the College of William & Mary but subscribed to racist beliefs and prohibited African Americans from attending or teaching at the college. The garden was paid for by descendants of the family and given to the university as a gift to the history department which is itself named for L. G. Tyler. A bust of each man with a brief summary of their lives are present in the garden which lies outside of the James Blair Building on William & Mary’s campus.  

Tyler Family Garden

Originally designed to be the one of the central buildings for the College of William &amp; Mary, Tucker Hall was once known simply as "The Library." The library’s construction was funded in part by Andrew Carnegie whose donation of $20,000 allowed the university to expand its book collection and construct a new building. While this building was completed in 1909, the college's first library opened in 1698. At that time, the college had been in operation for five years and the library began with a donation of two hundred books from Virginia Governor Francis Nicholson. The College of William &amp; Mary remains the second-oldest university in the United States.The first library was housed in the Wren Building which suffered from several fires. The fire in 1705 caused massive damage to the structure and destroyed all but one book from the collection, The History of the Council of Trent, which is now on display at The College of William &amp; Mary’s Special Collections Research Center. The Wren building was rebuilt, and a new collection of library materials was developed.Eventually the library outgrew the Wren building and the Library was created, opening in 1909 thanks largely to Carnegie’s donation. A later addition to the Library was funded in 1922 by the Carnegie Endowment Corporation. The added wing, completed a year later, would make the library’s footprint into an H-shape and double its size. The addition included a fireproof vault and new stack rooms while the older wing was mostly converted to office space. In 1930 another renovation saw the addition of large reading rooms, additional shelving, and a marble staircase. Just after the renovation was completed, the law school moved into the library’s 3rd floor.Increased enrollment led to the need for a new library and in 1958 plans to build the Earl Gregg Swem Library were begun. When the new library building opened in 1966, the old Library was again renovated and reopened as the law school, eventually taking the name of Marshall-Wythe Hall in 1968. In 1980, the Law School relocated and the English Department moved into the building, renaming it Tucker Hall after St. George Tucker.Tucker was a lawyer and judge in addition to working as a poet and essayist. Tucker published what was considered one of the major works on American laws in 1803 and became an influential figure in early legal issues in the United States. While serving as a judge for the Virginia General Court, Court of Appeals, and the U.S. District Court of Virginia, Tucker worked as a law professor at the College of William &amp; Mary. As a professor, Tucker was an advocate for a more rigorous and formal study of law rather than the popular apprenticeship method of education that he had gotten himself. Tucker also formulated a plan for the gradual abolition of slavery. Tucker's plan was designed to appease and compensate slave owners, ending the legal enslavement of people of African descent in phases over a century. Tucker’s plan did not allow freed slaves basic rights, and while some wealthy Virginians made arrangements to emancipate some of their enslaved persons in their wills, Tucker did not free any of the people he kept in bondage.Today the hall is still known as Tucker Hall and houses the university’s English Department. Several suicides on the premises have led to stories that the building is haunted by ghosts of former students. A local ghost tour group has made the location a stop on their tours which also visit other supposedly haunted sites in the colonial Williamsburg area.

Once known only as "The Library" at the College of William & Mary, Tucker Hall was completed in 1909. Since that time, the building has undergone two additions, several renovations, and three name changes. The library was relocated to the newly built Earl Gregg Swem building in 1966 and the former library building became home to William and Mary's law school. In 1980, the building became home to the English Department and the law school was moved. It was at this time that the hall got its current name in honor of St. George Tucker, who was a poet and essayist in addition to working as a judge in Williamsburg. Tucker Hall remains the home of the English Department. 

Tucker Hall

Plans for an institution for higher education in or around the Jamestown settlement were discussed as early as 1618. These were postponed indefinitely, however, as conflicts developed with local Native Americans. The College of William &amp; Mary was finally created on February 8, 1693, when King William III and Queen Mary II of England issued a charter establishing a royal college in the Virginia colony. 330 acres of land were purchased from Capt. Thomas Ballard in what is now Williamsburg, and a tax was issued on tobacco, furs, and skins exports to support the new school. Construction of the college’s first structure, the College Building (today known as the Wren Building) began in 1695. This building became the temporary headquarters for the colonial government from 1700-1704 while the new Capitol was being built in Williamsburg, and again from 1747-1754 when the aforementioned Capitol burned down. The college originally opened with two schools: a grammar school and an Indian school for educating Native Americans.William &amp; Mary underwent several changes following American independence in 1776. The school transitioned from a royal college to a private university, opened several graduate schools, and founded the Phi Beta Kappa honor society. The college closed when the Civil War began in 1861 as a majority of the students and faculty enlisted in the Confederate army. The campus was briefly used as a barracks and hospital for the Confederates before Williamsburg was captured and occupied by Union troops for the duration of the war. The college was unable to reopen until 1869, and then closed again in 1882 due to financial difficulties. It reopened permanently in 1888 when the Virginia legislature appropriated funds to train public school teachers at the college. In 1906, the Virginia legislature took over William &amp; Mary and designated it a public university. In 1918, it became the first coeducational college in Virginia. In the late 1920s and early 1930s, the Brafferton, the Wren Building, and the President’s House were all restored to their eighteenth century appearance as part of a broader project to restore many of Williamsburg’s colonial era structures. The college expanded rapidly during the twentieth century, with many new buildings constructed and enrollment climbing. Due to the school’s origins as a royal college, William &amp; Mary was also visited several times by British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, Prince Charles, and once by Queen Elizabeth II.Today, the College of William &amp; Mary occupies a 1,200 acre campus, much of it consisting of the College Woods, Lake Motoaka, and the Martha Wren Briggs Amphitheatre. The campus is also commonly referred to in sections: the “Ancient Campus” consists of buildings dating to the eighteenth century; the “Old Campus” is made up of structures built in the 1920s and 1930s, including Zable Stadium and the Sunken Gardens; the “New Campus” consists of buildings mostly constructed between 1950 and 1980. William &amp; Mary is noted for having one of the highest quality educations for a public university, with a 12-to-1 student-faculty ratio and over 8,000 enrolled students.

The oldest building on the campus of the College of William & Mary, the Wren Building dates back to 1695 when construction began. The building is named in honor of English architect Sir Christopher Wren, and despite several fires that required reconstruction of various parts of the building, it remains the oldest academic building in continuous use in the United States. The College of William & Mary is a historic liberal arts university in Williamsburg, Virginia. Originally established as a royal college in 1693 by King William III and Queen Mary II, it is the second-oldest higher education institution in the United States after Harvard University. 

William & Mary was the first college in the United States to become a university, the first to have a Greek-latter fraternity, the first to establish an honor code, and the first to establish schools of Law, Modern Languages, and Modern History. The school also boasts numerous alumni influential in the early history of the country, including Presidents George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, James Monroe, and John Tyler; sixteen members of the Continental Congress and four signatories of the Declaration of Independence; Supreme Court Chief Justice John Marshall; and Speaker of the House Henry Clay. Several of the original buildings on campus have been restored to their eighteenth century appearances. Today the College of William & Mary is a state-supported public research university with over 8,000 enrolled students. 

Wren Building, College of William & Mary

The College of William &amp; Mary was formally established in 1693, but no effort was made to create an official home for the college president until the 1730s. The President’s House was built between 1732 and 1733 by Henry Cary Jr., who is believed to also be the builder of the Brafferton. The Georgian-style home was constructed at the cost of ₤650; it was a meager sum compared to construction projects in Europe, but the completed house was one of the most prominent in the Virginia colony at the time. The three-story, five-bay, hip-roofed brick structure is very similar in design to the Brafferton, although it is four feet larger dimensionally. The house’s original occupant was James Blair, founder and first president of William &amp; Mary.On June 25, 1781, British General Cornwallis occupied the President’s House and used it as his personal headquarters, evicting college President James Madison (second cousin to the future President Madison) in the process. Cornwallis and his troops remained on the premises for ten days, during which Madison and his wife reportedly received poor treatment. On September 15, French General Rochambeau commandeered the house and used it as a hospital for wounded French officers, who were supporting the Continental Army in the Battle of Yorktown. Later that year the officers accidently set the house on fire, badly damaging the interior. Repairs were not made until 1786, when the French government provided compensation to the college.The interior of the President’s House would be damaged by fire multiple times in 1879, 1916, and 1922, although the exterior always remained intact and original. In 1931, the interior was restored to its colonial appearance along with the Brafferton and Wren Building. Renovations continued to be made, however, to add conveniences such as electricity, bathrooms, a modern kitchen, and heating and air conditioning. The presidents of William &amp; Mary continue to use the house as both a personal residence and to receive visitors, which over the years has included the Marquis de Lafayette; Presidents George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, John Tyler; every president from Woodrow Wilson to Dwight Eisenhower; Winston Churchill; and Queen Elizabeth II, Prince Philip, and Prince Charles.

The President’s House at the College of William & Mary is the oldest residence for a university administrator in the United States. Constructed in 1733, this historic mansion has housed every President of the College of William & Mary except for one (Robert Saunders, who chose to stay in his own home during his tenure from 1846-1848). During the American Revolution, it was occupied by both rebels and Redcoats during the Battle of Yorktown. The house was damaged by fire and renovated several times before being restored to its colonial appearance in 1931. Recent work on the home has blended modern amenities while maintaining the historic appearance of the residence. The house has been visited by multiple U.S. Presidents, members of the British monarchy, and hundreds of leading public intellectuals and scholars. Today the house remains the official residence of the William & Mary president and is also used to receive visitors and hold events for students, faculty, alumni, and prospective donors.

President's House, William and Mary

Two Lord Botetourt Statues stand on the grounds of the College of William &amp; Mary in honor of Virginia Royal Governor Norborne Berkeley, the 4th Baron de Botetourt. Like his father, Botetourt served as the representative from Gloucestershire in the House of Commons until he became the Baron de Botetourt in 1764. While in the House of Lords, Botetourt supported taxation of colonists and the notable Stamp Act of 1765. After several failed ventures and lavish spending on his London home, Botetourt faced financial trouble and with the help of influential friends was named Governor of Virginia. Upon arrival in Williamsburg, Botetourt quickly became popular with his constituents through support of the College of William &amp; Mary and popular judicial appointments.Botetourt was a frequent visitor to the college, often attending morning prayers with the students. During his time as governor, Botetourt also served as the Rector for the college’s Board of Visitors. Botetourt made several donations to the college, but most notable was the gold Botetourt Medal which is given to two graduating students each year. The Botetourt Medal is still given today and is considered one of the university’s highest honors.As governor, Botetourt closed the General Assembly after the House of Burgess had openly criticized the king’s taxation policies. Botetourt also secretly advised other leaders in the colony not to tolerate protests against the royal government. Despite his support of the crown, Botetourt remained popular with the people my remaining largely neutral in public. Botetourt’s time in office was brief as he died suddenly in 1770.Shortly after his death, a statue was commissioned in his honor and was placed at the Capitol in 1773. The statue was broken into pieces sometime after the end of the Revolutionary War in 1783 and local landlord Gabriel Maupin saved the head in his office. The remains of the statue were purchased by the College of William &amp; Mary in 1797, and in 1801 the statue was restored and placed in front of the Wren Building. Outside of a brief period during the Civil War, the statue stayed outside of the Wren Building and became an icon on campus. During the twentieth century, male students were known to tip their hats when walking by the statue while female students would curtsey. The statue was moved to the Botetourt Gallery of the Earl Gregg Swem Library in 1966. Several other attempts at vandalism and many years of weather damage had led the college to relocate the statue to preserve it. A new version of the statue was made in 1993 to the replace the original and is now visible outside of the Wren Building.

The statue known as the Lord Botetourt Statue was completed in 1773, three years after the death of Virginia’s Royal Governor Norborne Berkeley, the 4th Baron de Botetourt. Berkeley, known as Lord Botetourt, served as the colony’s governor from 1768 until his death in 1770. Lord Botetourt served as the Rector for the College of William &amp; Mary’s Board of Visitors. During his time in Williamsburg, Botetourt began the Botetourt Medal fund to acknowledge two graduating students; the award remains one of the university’s highest honors today. The Lord Botetourt Statue was originally placed outside of the Capitol, but after being partially destroyed by vandals in 1790, was removed. After being restored in 1801, the statue was placed outside of the Wren building where it remained until it was moved to the Botetourt Gallery of the Earl Gregg Swem Library in 1966 to protect it from weather damage and vandalism. A new version of the statue was made in 1993 to the replace the original and is now visible outside of the Wren Building.

Lord Botetourt Statue

The original 1693 royal charter establishing the College of William &amp; Mary in Williamsburg originally called for the creation of both a grammar school and an Indian School. The Indian School was meant to educate select Native Americans in European culture and principles. It was hoped that these students, after converting to Christianity and adopting European behaviors, would go on to spread these beliefs to their own tribes. In some instances, tribes sent students willingly; others were diplomatic hostages used to ensure a tribe remained peaceful, while a few were even prisoners purchased by the college. The students came from many tribes ranging from local ones such as the Nansemond, Pamunkey, and the Chickahominy, to as far away as the Cherokee in southern Appalachia and the Delaware in the Ohio River Valley.The Indian School at William &amp; Mary was supported financially by the estate of Sir Robert Boyle. Boyle was a famous philosopher and scientist, known for developing Boyle’s Law and being one of the founders of modern chemistry. Upon his death in 1691, his will stipulated that a sum of ₤4,000 sterling be used for charitable purposes. His estate utilized that money to purchase Brafferton Manor in Yorkshire, England, and divided the income earned by it between the Indian Schools at Harvard College and William &amp; Mary. Originally the students of the Indian School had classes in the Wren Building and lived with local families. In 1723, the Brafferton building was constructed southeast of the Wren Building to house the Indian School. The two-story brick building is believed to have been built by Henry Cary Jr., the builder of the President’s House and the Wren Building chapel.Indian School students at the Brafferton attended classes on the first floor and lived in dormitories on the second floor. They were overseen by what was known as the Indian Master, who lived with the students and provided all of their education. Primary subjects taught included reading, writing, arithmetic, and Christianity. Enrollment at the school was low, reaching a peak of twenty-three students but typically averaging eight; some years there was only a single student or none at all. Some students died from European diseases during the school’s early years. In terms of using the students to spread European customs to indigenous population, the Indian School was largely a failure; many students never even returned to their home tribes. Others did return, but they used their acquired knowledge of European culture to defend their communities. Several former students acted as interpreters and intermediaries between their tribes and the English, translating treaties and assisting in negotiations. Other alumni found themselves in roles that brought them into contact with some of the Founding Fathers; Thomas Step served as a liaison for George Washington during the French and Indian War, while Charles Murphy acted as an interpreter for Patrick Henry.Funding for the Indian School from the Boyle estate was cut off during the American Revolution, and by 1791 it had shut down. The Brafferton afterwards was used for a variety of purposes such as dormitories, classrooms, and a dining hall. In 1932, it was restored to its colonial appearance as part of a broader project to restore colonial buildings all over Williamsburg. Today it houses offices for William &amp; Mary’s president and provost. In recent years, more efforts have been made to acknowledge the history of the university’s Indian School. In 2016, the Muscarelle Museum of Art showcased a temporary art exhibit titled “Building the Brafferton: The Founding, Funding, and Legacy of America’s Indian School.” Through a series of galleries, the exhibit detailed the origins of the school, its legacy, and the stories of several students.

The Brafferton is the second oldest building on the College of William & Mary campus. Constructed in 1723, it is one of three surviving colonial buildings, along with the Wren Building and the President’s House, that make up the college’s Historic Campus. While today serving as the offices for the president and provost of William & Mary, the building originally housed the college’s Indian School. Established as part of William & Mary’s charter in 1693, the Indian School was intended to provide some Native Americans with a Western education in the hopes that they would spread European culture to their tribes. In this aspect the Indian School largely was a failure, and closed when funding was halted during the American Revolution. 

Brafferton and the Indian School

Though no longer standing, the Taliaferro Building was once a tribute to Confederate General William Booth Taliaferro. The building opened in 1894 and served first as a dining and banquet hall, hosting an alumni dinner to celebrate its opening. After the dining hall was relocated in 1904, the building served a variety of purposes before undergoing renovations to add running water in 1914. Once these changes were completed, the Taliaferro Building was operated as a dormitory. Another set of renovations saw the building transformed to house the Music Department in 1932 and later became the Fine Arts Building after extensive renovations in 1937. During this time, the building saw the addition of a two-story fountain, designed by Professor Theodore Rust. The fountain was circled by a staircase, enclosed in glass, and featured a fishpond on the first floor. This was the final set of renovations before the building was torn down in 1967.The Taliaferro Building’s namesake Confederate General William Booth Taliaferro studied at the College of William &amp; Mary from 1839-1841, earning his A.B. degree before attending law school at Harvard. Before the Civil War began, Taliaferro and his family spent time in the Richmond area running a law practice and farmland operated by enslaved persons. After the John Brown’s raid of Harper’s Ferry in 1859, Taliaferro took a more active role in preparing the local militia for potential war and would go on to serve in the Confederate Army.After the war ended in 1865, Taliaferro began to take a more active role in the proceedings of the College of William &amp; Mary. Each of Taliaferro’s sons went to the college and Taliaferro was elected to the Board of Visitors in 1870. During his time on the Board of Visitors, Taliaferro helped the university to recover financially from the war. William &amp; Mary had been closed from 1861 to 1865 due to the war and many buildings had been damaged and looted in the 1862 Battle of Williamsburg. The Board of Visitors and Taliaferro worked to raise money to repair damages and replace lost resources. The construction of the Taliaferro Building in 1894 was one sign that Taliaferro’s work to assist the university had been successful.

One of two buildings named for Confederate General William Booth Taliaferro on campus at the College of William & Mary, the Taliaferro Building was once a fixture of the old campus. Built from 1893-94, the building was intended to recognize the work that Taliaferro had done to ensure the survival of the university after the Civil War. Once standing near the current Campus Center across from the Brafferton, the Taliaferro Building was torn down in 1967. 

Taliaferro Building

Taliaferro Hall was built in 1935 to replace the Taliaferro Building which was about to undergo extensive renovations to become the Fine Arts Building. Taliaferro Hall is a small dormitory, originally for male students only, that houses less than 60 students each year. At times during the building’s history, it has also served as a bookstore and tearoom. The university’s freshman Presidential Scholars were the exclusive residents of the hall for a short period in 1986-1988.Though small in comparison with many other dormitories on campus today, Taliaferro Hall is notable for being the first co-ed dormitory on campus. In 1978, despite a university policy prohibiting co-ed housing on campus, both male and female students were living in Taliaferro Hall. Due to an increased number of male students in comparison to female students, a shift was made in the housing breakdown, and women were assigned to the third floor of Taliaferro Hall while male students occupied the first and second floors.The Taliaferro Hall’s namesake Confederate General William Booth Taliaferro, studied at the College of William &amp; Mary from 1839-1841 He earned his A.B. degree before attending law school at Harvard. Before the Civil War began, Taliaferro and his family spent time in the Richmond area running a law practice and farm operated by enslaved persons. After the John Brown’s raid of Harper’s Ferry in 1859, Taliaferro took a more active role in preparing the local militia for potential war and would go on to serve in the Confederate Army.After the war ended in 1865, Taliaferro began to take a more active role in the proceedings of the College of William &amp; Mary. Each of Taliaferro’s sons went to the college and Taliaferro was elected to the Board of Visitors in 1870. During his time on the Board of Visitors, Taliaferro helped the university to recover financially from the war by advocating for government funding and other fundraising efforts. William &amp; Mary had been closed from 1861 to 1865 due to the war and many buildings had been damaged and looted in the 1862 Battle of Williamsburg. The Board of Visitors and Taliaferro worked to raise money to repair damages and replace lost resources in addition to expanding enrollment. The original Taliaferro Building was built after the university had regained financial security, a success which was attributed to Taliaferro’s leadership. Today, Taliaferro Hall remains an active residence hall and is co-ed.

Built to replace the Taliaferro Building after university officials decided to convert that structure into the Fine Arts Building, Taliaferro Hall opened in 1935 as a dormitory for male students at the College of William & Mary with funding from a Public Works Administrative grant. Taliaferro Hall was designed to blend in with existing campus architecture. The building served at the first co-ed housing option in 1978 when the male-female student ratio shifted unexpectedly. Like its predecessor, Taliaferro Hall is named for Confederate General William Booth Taliaferro whose wealth was created both from his law practice and the labor of the people he enslaved. After the Civil War, Taliaferro was instrumental in helping the university recover financially. Taliaferro Hall is still a functioning residence hall at the College of William & Mary and is now co-ed. 

Taliaferro Hall

The Sunken Garden and adjacent Crim Dell Meadow were built from 1935 to 1936. The project was built by a Civilian Conservation Corps Camp that had been assigned to William &amp; Mary in 1933. College architect Charles F. Gillette built upon the foundation work done by his predecessor, Charles M. Robinson in the 1920s. Robinson had designed the Sunken Garden by taking inspiration from Christopher Wren’s plans for the Royal Hospital Chelsea which had been completed in 1692.The hospital was commissioned by King Charles II who instructed Wren and Sir Stephen Fox to build a facility intended to house veteran soldiers. The hospital featured a large garden designed to promote the health of residents through fresh air and exercise. Christopher Wren worked as a prominent astronomer before turning to architecture and design. He would go on to design the St. Paul’s Cathedral in London and several other projects for the royal family in addition to his work at the hospital. The Wren Building located near the Sunken Garden is named for him.Within the Sunken Garden there are many notable plants including the some of the oldest trees on campus, the willow oak and water oak located on the south and north ends of the garden respectively. Other plants of interest include the Black gum, common boxwoods, American beeches and crape myrtles. Each are features on the self-guided plant tour designed by the university’s biology department.The garden’s focuses more on offering large lawns and trees over intricate designs. This English style allows the grounds to be used recreationally by students. These open spaces have also allowed the garden and meadow to be used as event spaces. The Sunken Garden is now the location of the annual Last Day of Classes celebration, picnics, and dances for the campus community.

Located behind the historic Wren Building on the College of William & Mary’s campus, the Sunken Garden has been a fixture at the university since its construction in 1935. Inspired by Christopher Wren’s original design for the Royal Hospital Chelsea, Sunken Garden’s architect Charles M. Robinson drew up the first plans for the Sunken Garden in the 1920s. Today the garden is a popular site for campus events and students looking to get outdoors. 

Sunken Garden

The College of William &amp; Mary’s library was started in 1698 when Virginia Governor Francis Nicholson donated a 200-book collection to the university. All but one of those books, a copy of The History of the Council of Trent, was destroyed along with many other volumes in 1705 when a fire destroyed the original building. The university rebuilt both the building and the collection, and that surviving copy ofThe History of the Council of Trent is now on display at William &amp; Mary's Special Collections Research Center. After receiving a $20,000 donation from Andrew Carnegie, the university was able to construct a new building that was known only as The Library when it opened in 1905,. That Carnegie-funded library housed the university’s collections until 1966 when the current Earl Gregg Swem Library was opened. The Carnegie-funded building once known as The Library is now know Tucker Hall and houses the English Department. When the Earl Gregg Swem Library opened in January of 1966, parts of the building was still under construction until November of that year when the structure was complete. This campus library was named in honor of Earl Gregg Swem a historian, bibliographer, and librarian. Before joining the staff at the library at the College of William &amp; Mary, Swem worked for the Library of Congress as the Chief of cataloging in the Copyright Office from 1903 to 1907. He went on to become an assistant librarian for the state of Virginia for twelve years. In this position, Swem expanded the State Library’s collections and created finding aides and catalogs that provided an essential organizational structure. His most famous work is the Virginia Historical Index which remains a valuable tool for historians. After his time at the State Library, Swem came to the College of William &amp; Mary and began his 24-year career as a librarian for the university. The library’s collections saw a 1300% growth during Swem’s time on staff. Swem pushed the library to offer courses to students on library usage and research, an uncommon practice at the time, and to open an Archives and Manuscripts Department. In addition to his work at the library, Swem served as editor for the William and Mary Quarterly and continued to edit works on Virginia’s history. Earl Gregg Swem died a year before the new library building’s completion and the building was named in honor of Swem’s contributions to the university.

Earl Gregg Swem Library is the central library for the College of William & Mary, one of the oldest universities in the United States. The university was founded in 1693 and the library was established in 1698. The library is named in honor of a notable historian, bibliographer, and librarian who helped to grow and organize Virginia’s historical archives and preserve the state’s history. 

Earl Gregg Swem Library 

The Muscarelle Museum of Art houses the art collections of the College of William &amp; Mary. The collection traces its origins back to 1732 when the first art donation was received by the college. Overtime the college was gifted and purchased a substantial number of pieces. The museum began as a means of preserving the over 300 pieces acquired by the college by the 1970s.   Professor Miles Chappell kick started the museum’s development after conducting a survey of the college’s art holdings in the 1970s. His findings were presented to university administrators who approved museum plans in 1981. Funding for the museum’s construction was provided by Joseph L. Muscarelle, a 1927 graduate of William &amp; Mary. The museum opened in 1983 and has since underwent several renovations. The collection has expanded to include nearly 6,000 pieces including work from notable artists like Georgia O’Keefe, Pablo Picasso, and Hans Hofmann. Today the museum is preparing for the construction of a new arts complex which will be designed by the Pelli Clarke Pelli architecture firm.

The Muscarelle Museum of Art holds the nearly 6,000-piece art collection at the College of William & Mary. With works from many famous artists like Georgia O’Keefe, Pablo Picasso, and Hans Hofmann, the museum has become a central location for the arts in Williamsburg. The museum has been open since 1983. Plans are currently underway to construct a new arts center to better house the growing collection.  

College of William & Mary Walking Tour

James Blair Statue

Introduction

Images

Backstory and Context

Sources

Additional Information