Box cover with Harvard Hall engraving, circa 1770s Digital
Scope and Contents
Cover to a wooden box with an engraving of a westerly view of the College, including Harvard Hall, rebuilt after a 1764 fire destroyed "Old Harvard Hall," and surrounding buildings in Harvard Yard. There is information about the object written on interior of the cover in 1901 by Warren Reed, who attributes ownership to Harvard President Benjamin Wadsworth. However, since President Wadsworth died in 1737 and construction on the new Harvard Hall was completed in 1766, it is likely the box belonged to Minister Benjamin Wadsworth. Reed also inscribed dates of the fire (incorrectly dated in 1724) and the construction of University Hall in 1814.
Dates
- Creation: circa 1770s
Conditions Governing Access
Open for research.
Extent
.5 cubic feet (1 flat box, 1 legal pamphlet binder)Historical note on Harvard Hall
On the night of January 24, 1764, Harvard Hall (sometimes referred to as "Old Harvard Hall") burned to the ground, destroying all of the volumes in the library except for the approximate 400 which were then out on loan and another 100 or so books which had been received but were not yet unpacked and shelved. This fire took place during the College's winter recess, while the Massachusetts General Court was temporarily holding session in the building due to a smallpox epidemic in Boston. Apparently a fire was left burning in the library's fireplace and spread to the floor beams, quickly destroying the entire building and its contents. The General Court took responsibility for the loss of the building and agreed to pay for its replacement. The burning of the library prompted both financial donations and thousands of new books. By the time a new home for the library - Harvard Hall - was completed in 1766, the size of the library collection had surpassed what it was before the fire just two years earlier.
Creator
- From the Collection: Wadsworth, Benjamin, 1750-1826 (Person)
Repository Details
Part of the Harvard University Archives Repository
Holding nearly four centuries of materials, the Harvard University Archives is the principal repository for the institutional records of Harvard University and the personal archives of Harvard faculty, as well as collections related to students, alumni, Harvard-affiliates and other associated topics. The collections document the intellectual, cultural, administrative and social life of Harvard and the influence of the University as it emerged across the globe.
Pusey Library
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Cambridge MA 02138 USA
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