The Campus and the Park
During the second half of the 19th century, President James McCosh (1868-1888) and President Francis Patton (1888-1902) oversaw a period of rapid building expansion that favored a more park-like setting for buildings, placing less importance on axis and symmetry than previous styles. The Victorian style of architecture provided an organic style that complemented this landscape approach. This change of style coincided with the beginnings of a pedagogic shift from the fixed curriculum of a small Protestant college to a more modern concept of a university.
The town of Princeton continued to expand, surrounding the campus on three sides. The railroad station, still in its original northern location near Blair Hall, provided the gateway to the town as well as the University.
As this quote shows, some of the most beloved areas of campus today were not always appreciated in their own time. "It is unfortunate that the greatest era of college expansion in the United States …coincided with a period of poor architectural taste…"
Thomas Jefferson Wertenbaker, 1746-1896
Images: Graphic Arts Collection and University Archives, Department of Rare Books and Special Collections, Princeton University Library. Courtesy of The Historical Society of Princeton.
Photos: Courtesy of the Princeton University Office of Communications.
© 2006 The Trustees of Princeton University Last update: November 2, 2006