Collection inventory

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Syracuse University Buildings and Grounds Collection

An inventory of the collection at the Syracuse University Archives


Finding aid created by: Nicole Wright
Date: 2019

Historical Note

Syracuse University was founded on March 24, 1870, when its Board of Trustees signed the University charter and certificate of incorporation, acting on a proposal put forth earlier that year at the Methodist State Convention. Despite its modest beginnings, the story of Syracuse University has been one of remarkable growth and progress. The University's population has expanded from a few dozen local students to over 21,000 students from all over the world. Significant eras of development in campus building and academic programs included the late nineteenth to early twentieth centuries and the post-World War II years. The second half of the twentieth century saw the University transform into a modern research institution with international connections.

Before the first campus building was built, Syracuse University used rented space in the Myers Block on the southeast corner of Montgomery and East Genesee Streets. The first building on campus was the Hall of Languages in 1873, one of fifteen buildings on campus listed on the National Register of Historic Places, along with Archbold Gymnasium, Bowne Hall, Carnegie Library, Crouse College, Hendricks Chapel, Holden Observatory, Maxwell Hall, L.C. Smith Hall, Lyman Hall, Machinery Hall, Sims Hall, Slocum Hall, Steele Hall and the Tolley Administration Building. The largest period of campus expansion took place from the late 1940s to the early 1970s during which the campus expanded by about 1,000 acres, adding around 50 buildings.

Scope and Content Note

The Syracuse University Buildings and Grounds Collection spans from 1870 to 2019 and contains materials related to the physical campus of Syracuse University. The collection includes programs from dedications and cornerstone layings, floor plans, press releases, reports, and maps. For some older buildings on campus, including the Hall of Languages, there are construction contracts and bids as well as some correspondence.

Over the years, the names of some buildings included in the collection have changed and some buildings originally built for Syracuse University now belong to SUNY ESF and Upstate Medical University.

Please note that the inventory in this finding aid represents only one portion of the collection. These files are processed and comprise reference materials (in REF boxes) that are readily available to researchers. They provide unrestricted materials related to the buildings and grounds of Syracuse University. The remainder of the collection is unprocessed, housed off-site, and not included in the inventory. These unprocessed materials include plans for proposed buildings, fundraising information, reports, and other records, some of which are restricted.

Restrictions

Access Restrictions:

Some of the unprocessed records not listed in the inventory are restricted to the office of origin for 30 years. Requests to use restricted records must be obtained in writing from the office of origin.

Use Restrictions:

Written permission must be obtained from the Syracuse University Archives and all relevant rights holders before publishing quotations, excerpts or images from any materials in this collection.

Related Material

Among the Reference materials, clippings were moved to clipping files and materials not related to the physical buildings were moved to appropriate collections in the University Archives.

The University Archives holds clipping files on campus buildings and architectural materials for buildings can be found in the Syracuse University Architectural Plans Reference collection. Additionally, there is a Buildings and Grounds series in the Syracuse University Photograph Collection.

Selected Search Terms

Names

Syracuse University -- History.
Syracuse University.

Subjects

Buildings.
College buildings.
College campuses.
College facilities.
Dormitories.
Student unions.
Higher education.

Types of Material

Contracts.
Floor plans (orthographic projections)
Maps (documents)
Official reports.
Programs (documents)

Administrative Information

Preferred Citation

Preferred citation for this material is as follows:

Syracuse University Buildings and Grounds Collection,
University Archives,
Special Collections Research Center
Syracuse University Libraries

Acquisition Information

The University Archives received materials over the years from various administrative offices at Syracuse University and from the offices of some of the architects that designed the buildings, including King & King Architects. Some of the Crouse Chimes historical materials were the gift of Roy Simmons, Jr., in 2021.

Processing Information

Reference materials were reorganized and placed in new folders and boxes as needed.

Only the Reference materials in this collection were processed. The remainder of the collection is unprocessed and not included in the inventory.

Arrangement

Folders are arranged alphabetically within series.

Table of Contents

Buildings reference materials

Inventory