Sayles Memorial Hall

Sayles Memorial Hall is a Richardsonian Romanesque hall on the central campus of Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island. The granite structure was designed by Alpheus C. Morse and constructed from 1879 to 1881.[1]

Sayles Memorial Hall
LocationBrown University
Providence, Rhode Island
Coordinates41.82625°N 71.40258°W / 41.82625; -71.40258
Built1879–1881
ArchitectAlpheus C. Morse
Architectural styleRichardsonian Romanesque
Part ofCollege Hill Historic District

History

Sayles Hall was built in memoriam of William Clark Sayles, who entered Brown in 1874 and died in 1876.[2] In 1878 Sayles' father gifted the school $50,000 for the construction of a building in his sons' honor “which shall be exclusively and forever devoted to lectures and recitations, and to meetings on academic occasions.”[1]

Structure

The building is constructed of rock-faced Westerly granite with Longmeadow brownstone trim.

The structure follows a T-shaped plan. The front section measures 35 by 75 feet and is topped by a hipped roof; the rear of the building has a gabled roof.[1] The main auditorium of the building is characterized by pine roof trusses.[3]

Organ

The building is home to a 1903 Hutchings-Votey organ gifted to the university by Lucian Sharpe. Today, the organ is the largest remaining Hutchings-Votey organ of its type.[1] The organ is used for an annual Halloween concert which begins at midnight.[4]

Portraits

The main auditorium of the structure is adorned with 35 historical and contemporary portraits of leaders and benefactors of the university.[5] In 1997, a portrait of Sarah Elizabeth Doyle was stolen from the building.[6] In 2016, the university installed a portrait of President Emerita Ruth Simmons, making her the first and only Black woman represented in the collection.[7]

References
  1. "Encyclopedia Brunoniana | Sayles Hall". www.brown.edu. Retrieved 2021-05-08.
  2. "Sayles Hall // Guide to Providence Architecture". guide.ppsri.org. Retrieved 2021-05-08.
  3. "Makana Tavares '17: Sayles Memorial Hall – Archaeology of Brown University and College Hill". Retrieved 2021-05-08.
  4. Toledano, Elizabeth (2016-11-02). "Steinbach plays Halloween Midnight Organ Concert". Brown Daily Herald. Retrieved 2021-05-08.
  5. Omori, Maya. "Repainting Tradition: Sayles Hall Portraits". Rhode Tour. Retrieved 2021-05-08.
  6. "A Portrait of a Lady Disappears From Brown University". www.chronicle.com. October 3, 1997. Retrieved 2021-05-08.
  7. Center, Julianne (2016-01-28). "Simmons portrait hung in Sayles". Brown Daily Herald. Retrieved 2021-05-08.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.