morningsideheights

Columbia University's Low Memorial Library was designed by architect Charles Follen McKim of McKim, Mead, and White, the firm that created the original master plan for the University's Morningside Heights campus. Internet sources differ on the date of construction. Columbia itself says it was completed in 1897. But then Columbia is also one of several Internet sources saying that the dome is built of granite, yet this 2003 article from Architectural Record reveals that it is actually built mostly of brick, and faced with limestone panels. Oh, Internets!

This is such an incredible structure. When I went to the campus, I loved all of the architecture at Columbia University, but I was especially fond of the Low Memorial Library. The Low family spent over $1 million in the late 1890's in order to finance the building, which is now the most popular and prominent building on campus. This building is beautifully designed with massive columns and perfect symmetry. Furthermore, this library is still used today as the administrative center by the university. It is hard to believe that it was built over a century ago, and it is still as magnificent today as it was then!

I recently visited the campus this summer in the beginning of June. Talk about amazing! The architecture of the entire campus is awesome but the most memorable of all of the buildings was definitely the Low Memorial Library. I was quite impressed with the fact that it is still in such great shape. When looking at brochures of Columbia University, the Low Memorial Library was always pictured with students sitting on the steps and hanging out. I knew that it was a popular place for students to lounge around but when I was actually there sitting on the steps, I quickly realized why it was such a great place to just sit and relax.

Current picture: www.ronsaari.com/stockImages/nyc/columbiaUniversityLowMem...

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Low_Memorial_Library

And the question is WHY?

If you go to the persistent URL and zoom the photo and scroll down, you can read the article. Apparently, they were overwhelmed (and a bit melodramatic about it) by the sheer size, scope and cost of the project. According to Wikipedia, it officially opened in 1941, but further construction was halted by WWII. A fire destroyed part of the church in 2001, and it's currently still being renovated: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cathedral_of_St._John_the_Divine

But, a CENTURY to finish?

Mrs. Oliver H.P. Belmont was a prominent suffrage leader. She wrote a suffrage operetta called "Melinda and Her Sisters." Additionally, she was an early advocate for equal pay for equal work, regardless of gender. Mrs. Belmont was also known for "good works" donating time and money to hospitals etc. One of her famous quotes: "The term 'idle rich' is certainly a misnomer now if it ever had a foundation in fact."

Mrs. Belmont's husband, Oliver Hazard Perry Belmont, was a grandson of Commodore Oliver Hazard Perry, whose U. S. Navy squadron defeated a British fleet in the Battle of Lake Erie, during the War of 1812.

Other Bain/LOC photos of doings on Suffrage Day in New York City, May 2, 1914:

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alva_Belmont Alva Erskine Belmont (January 17, 1853 – January 26, 1933), née Alva Erskine Smith, also called from 1875 to 1896) Alva Vanderbilt, was a prominent multi-millionaire American socialite and a major figure in the women's suffrage movement. Known for having an aristocratic manner that antagonized many people, she was also noted for her energy, intelligence, strong opinions, and willingness to challenge convention. She was married first to William Kissam Vanderbilt, with whom she had three children, and secondly to Oliver Hazard Perry Belmont. She died on 26 January 1933 in Paris, France.

A. Belmont: www.flickr.com/photos/library_of_congress/8079896358/