The Council of Independent Colleges: Historic Campus Architecture Project

Marsh Memorial

Click on image titles for larger views.

Marsh Memorial (front facade, 1994), Springfield College

Institution Name: Springfield College
Original/Historic Place Name: Marsh Memorial
Location on Campus: 263 Alden St.
Date(s) of Construction:

1913	original construction Tilton, Edward L.

Designer: Edward L. Tilton
Type of Place: Individual building
Style: Gothic revival (Glossary)
Significance: architecture, education, history
Narrative: see below
References: see below

Materials:

Foundation: brick

Walls: brick

Roof: flat

Function:

ca. 1913-1971	library
ca. 1971-present (2006)	memorial site (National YMCA Hall of Fame)
ca. 1971-present (2006)	chapel
ca. 1971-present (2006)	faculty offices

Narrative:
The Library was the work of Edward Lippincott Tilton, then of Boring & Tilton, who had won the Paris Exposition gold medal in 1900 for their U.S. Immigrant Station on Ellis Island. Tilton designed more than 60 libraries for U.S. military bases, and many public and college libraries. At the time the Marsh library was being planned, Tilton was designing Springfield City Library, a project handsomely assisted by Andrew Carnegie. Tilton later designed the Science Museum and the Museum of Fine Arts within the City Library Quadrangle.

As the college library took shape, it still had no name, and the announcement that Edward W. Marsh of Bridgeport had died, leaving a tenth-share of his estate to the college, made no reference to his contributions to the library. Marsh had insisted that he not be identified. The library was not named Marsh Memorial until his widow assented.

The Springfield Union noted that the dedication of the library would begin "what future historians will note as a new era in the course of the development of the International YMCA college."

Today Marsh Memorial houses the offices of the campus administration including its president. The college's chapel has replaced the open book stacks. And the National YMCA Hall of Fame is now housed in the building.

References: