History Old Queens

1 history

1.1 history (1766–1808)
1.2 construction (1808-1825)
1.3 use

history
early history (1766–1808)

the rev. ira condict, third president of queen s college, laid cornerstone old queen s on 27 april 1809.

chartered on 10 november 1766, queen s college small, private liberal arts college affiliated dutch reformed church founded education of youth in learned languages, liberal , useful arts , sciences, , in divinity; preparing them ministry , other offices. eighth-oldest college in united states , 1 of 9 colonial colleges founded before american revolution. queen s college named charlotte of mecklenburg-strelitz, daughter of german duke became queen consort of british king george iii. college first held classes in tavern called sign of red lion on corner of nielson , albany streets in new brunswick, , later @ building on george street in city s current business district, before moving college hilltop begin build old queen s in 1809.

during revolution hilltop old queen s built site of redoubt alexander hamilton, artillery captain commanding sixty men of new york provincial company of artillery, placed cannons cover retreat of george washington s forces after british occupation of new york. after british victory in taking fort washington in november 1776, washington s forces retreated across new jersey , pennsylvania. hamilton s battery protected forces crossed raritan river , passing through new brunswick in 1776. british forces commanded lieutenant general lord cornwallis under orders lieutenant general william howe, 5th viscount howe pursued washington far new brunswick.

the hill belonged john parker, prominent merchant nearby perth amboy , site of apple orchard. heirs, including james parker, jr. (1776–1868), local merchant , political figure, donated orchard trustees of queen s college (later renamed rutgers) in 1808. james parker, jr., graduate of columbia college (a.b. 1793) in new york, member of new jersey general assembly, , later became trustee of queen s , later rutgers college starting in 1812 , serving until death in 1868. college, had closed in 1795 due financial reasons, reopened in 1807 after long fundraising campaign led rev. ira condict (the school s third president, pro tempore) , rev. john henry livingston (the college s fourth president , founder of new brunswick theological seminary) direct support dutch reformed church s synod of new york. funds appropriated build permanent home queen s college, grammar school (which remained open years college closed), , livingston s theological seminary permanently relocated new brunswick new york.

construction (1808-1825)

early nineteenth century drawing of old queen s

the trustees hired new york architect john mccomb, jr. (1763–1853) design , oversee construction of old queen s. mccomb known designs of cape henry light (1792) in chesapeake bay, , montauk point lighthouse (1796) , station eatons neck lighthouse (1798) @ eastern end of long island, , several new york city landmarks including gracie mansion (1799), hamilton grange (1802), new york city hall (1803), , st. john s chapel (1803, demolished 1918). subsequently design lower manhattan s castle clinton (1808) , alexander hall @ princeton theological seminary (1815)

the cornerstone old queens laid on 27 april 1809 queen s college s president, rev. ira condict. due young college s financial difficulties, building not completed until 1825. classes began within completed portions of building 1811 queen s college (now rutgers university), queen s college grammar school (now rutgers preparatory school), , new brunswick theological seminary. new brunswick theological seminary moved in 1856 new 7 acres (2.8 ha) campus less one-half mile away, result of overcrowding. grammar school had moved across street several years earlier in 1830.

in 1825, colonel henry rutgers, american revolutionary war hero , philanthropist new york city gave fledgling queens college $5,000 bond , bell. trustees renamed institution in honor of colonel rutgers. bell, known old queens bell, hung in cupola of old queens chime passing of classes. remains there today, , rung on special occasions, such @ commencement exercise in may , in recognition of athletic teams have won national conferences. cupola donated stephen van rensellaer in 1825.

use

old queens in 1910.

initially, first floor of old queens served classrooms recitation held, , second floor housed college s chapel , library. wings on each side of structure served living quarters faculty of college. @ time, no dormitories (until 1890), students @ rutgers found housing within rooming houses , other off-campus locations throughout new brunswick.

today, old queens houses offices of university president , other top administration.

the gate outside old queens subject of rutgers legend. said rutgers student should walk through gate on 2 days: convocation , graduation. 1 passes through gate on other day during his/her undergraduate studies said doomed stay year or not graduate.