#colgatehistory

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Lancelot "Lant" Gilmartin, right, was Colgate University’s buildings and grounds supervisor for more than 50 years, from 1884 to 1936. While directing a crew of largely Irish immigrant kinfolk, Gilmartin played a major role in constructing and maintaining one of the most beautiful campuses in the nation. Among his many projects were the digging of Taylor Lake and the development of the Willow Path from 1903-1905. Notably, a number of his descendants graduated from Colgate, including his great-great-grandson, Class of 2005. #tbt #colgateuniversity #colgate200 #colgatehistory #universityarchives #colgatescua https://www.instagram.com/p/Bq0PrY4nzv1/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=q9z1m4o8e2vk

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Naval cadets train on Whitnall field, circa 1943. Today, we honor our veterans. By the numbers, World War II had the largest impact on the campus: more than 3,800 alumni served and 5,400 young men trained on campus in various naval programs. As the war tore through Europe and the South Pacific, loved ones of 141 fallen Colgate students, alumni, and faculty received condolence letters from the Alumni office. “Colgate is aware of the great cost of this war to our young men,” the letters often began, “and of our responsibility to do our part to make a recurrence of the conditions which caused the war impossible.” #tbt #colgatescua #colgate200 #colgateuniversity #colgatehistory #veterans #veteransday #universityarchives (at Colgate University) https://www.instagram.com/p/BqDS6tVngmJ/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=fpvyzb4w7en5

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Science is real! The Chemical Laboratory, now named Hascall Hall, and known by many students as “Old Bio,” constructed in 1884, was the first dedicated classroom building on campus. President Dodge pioneered fundraising for the structure in tandem with efforts to expand scientific study in the curriculum. Students were excited about the building’s modern research amenities, such as the pneumatic trough, “75-light Springfield gas machine,” and large cistern in the cellar, fed by a spring near West Hall, which provided fresh water for experiments. #tbt #colgatescua #colgate200 #colgateuniversity #colgatehistory #universityarchives (at Colgate University) https://www.instagram.com/p/BpXeCHdnCLo/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=j9sgk8g3kms2

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It's that time of year in Hamilton, snow, snow, and snow. Here's a clip of students doing their best to enjoy winter on the previously mentioned ski slope near Huntington Gymnasium, circa 1943. ⛷️ #tbt #colgateuniversity #colgate #colgate200 #colgatehistory #winter #film #universityarchives #skiing #whoosh (at Colgate University) https://www.instagram.com/p/BrDlfbCn2iR/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=1dy49w8s16qpy

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A group of women pull toboggans up the Colgate ski slope, behind what is now James C. Colgate Student Union (aka The Hall of Presidents or HOP), 1918. The slope was used for all kinds of winter sports and at one time included a T-bar lift, lighting, and snowmaking equipment. #tbt #colgatescua #colgate200 #colgateuniversity #colgatehistory #snow #universityarchives #upstateny (at Colgate University) https://www.instagram.com/p/BqQA3IBhOeW/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=oxgbkvjmczyt

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Home, sweet, "Vetville" After WWII, Colgate erected a neighborhood of portable homes just past the intersection of outer College and Lebanon Streets in Hamilton. Dubbed "Vetville," the structures were filled with returning veterans (enrolled at Colgate on the popular G.I. Bill) and their families. Notably, the university also allowed a few of the veterans' wives to take courses before the school was officially coeducational. The homes were gradually dismantled and sold to local homeowners, the last ones remaining on campus until 1961. #colgatescua #colgate200 #colgateuniversity #colgatehistory #universityarchives #veterans https://www.instagram.com/p/BohKfYOhXDz/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=10md28tsq4ona

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Colgate students and visitors (the university was all-male until 1970) enjoy Spring Party weekend outside James C. Colgate student union, 1950.

Colgate University photograph collection, A0999, Colgate University Special Collections & University Archives

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Yesterday was Founders Day at Colgate! Pictured is artist Bill Breck's interpretation of the fateful day when the thirteen founders created a constitution for the Baptist Education Society of New York - the group responsible for the creation of what would eventually become Colgate University. 

Or, perhaps, we should say fourteen founders since the cat in the lower corner looks especially focused on the matter at hand.