The Council of Independent Colleges: Historic Campus Architecture Project

Paradise Pond

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Institution Name: Smith College
Original/Historic Place Name: Mill River Pond
Location on Campus:
Date(s) of Construction:

ca. 1871	first use of pond
1896	original construction; boathouse
1911	original construction; second boathouse
1919	original construction; crewhouse

Designer:
Type of Place: Landscape site
Style: (Glossary)
Significance: culture, history, landscape
Narrative: see below
References: see below

Function:

ca. 1871-present (2006)

outdoor space

Narrative:
Paradise Pond, like much of the Smith campus, is a space that draws students, members of the Smith community, and town residents alike. In the early days of the College, the Mill River bounded the school grounds; but today it divides the campus from the athletic fields and the old Northampton State Hospital. Paths running along Paradise Pond connect the campus with parts of Northampton.

References:

The Historical Handbook of Smith College. Northampton, MA: Smith College, 1932.

Lincoln, Eleanor Terry, and John Abel Pinto. This the House We Live In: Smith College Campus from 1872-1982. Northampton, MA: Trustees of Smith College, 1983.