The College Green

The College Green, shown here shortly after sunrise, is at the center of undergraduate activity and the campus itself. Here students gather, socialize, and study against the backdrop of centuries-old buildings and trees. On sunny days, one can observe students tossing balls and frisbees or resting on the grass. The proximity of several classroom buildings to the Green and its abundance of shady places beneath trees also make it a popular spot for reading.

Faunce House

When Faunce House was completed in 1903, it was called Rockefeller Hall and consisted only of the building shown here. Within 25 years, the structure dedicated to "the Religious and Social Uses of Brown Men" (per the inscription upon the House's face) had become too cramped to accommodate all the student groups that wished to make use of it. So, in the early 1930's, John D. Rockefeller provided $600,000 for the construction of an addition. At this time the building was renamed Faunce House in memory of the University's ninth president, William H.P. Faunce.
Today, Faunce House is home to, among other things, Brown's post office, the offices of the chaplains, the Blue Room, the Underground, the BSA video store, and the new campus market. Also located in Faunce is the Student Activities Office, an umbrella organization for the more than 200 student groups at Brown.

Salomon Center for Teaching

The Salomon Center for Teaching, originally named Rogers Hall after the nephew of Brown's first student, served for many years after its 1862 completion as a chemistry facility. The building was renovated in 1989 and equipped with a 650 seat audio-visual lecture hall, the largest on campus.
When guest lecturers come to Brown, they quite often speak to capacity crowds in Salomon. Recent speakers include Jesse Jackson, Ken Burns, Sandra Day O'Connor, Spike Lee, Jane Goodall, Tom Brokaw, Anita Hill and Carlos Fuentes.

Sayles Hall

Sayles Hall was given in memory of William Clark Sayles, class of 1878, by his father. William died during his sophomore year, and at the Commencement where he would have been graduated, the elder Sayles made a donation to the school to have the building constructed. Today it houses several classrooms and a large lecture hall. At the front of the high-ceilinged, wooden interior is a stage, flanked by stained glass windows; on the walls are pictures of past Brown presidents and other luminaries in the University's history; and at the rear of Sayles is the largest Hutchings-Votey pipe organ in the world, which is used throughout the year for midnight organ concerts or by any student who wishes to learn to play it.

Wilson Hall

Wilson Hall, which houses classroom facilities, was built in 1890 after a gift from George F. Wilson for the promotion of the study of natural science. Wilson's assortment of classrooms play host to small seminars as well as larger lectures during the day and meetings of student organizations in the evening.

 

John Carter Brown Library

The John Carter Brown Library is a center for advanced research in history and the humanities. Independently administered and funded, the Library houses an internationally renowned collection of Americana: 45,000 rare books and 20,000 reference works which pertain to the Americas before 1830.
The Library has been located on Brown's College Green since 1904, but its collection dates back to the mid-nineteenth century, when John Carter Brown developed an interest in pursuing Americana. His son, John Nicholas Brown, continued along this path and donated funds to endow the Library and to pay for the construction of a building to house the collection. In 1990, the 15,000 square foot Caspersen Building was added to the original structure, and today, the Library continues to encourage scholarly work and serve as a resource for such activity.

Rhode Island Hall

Rhode Island Hall is so named because Rhode Island's taxpayers provided the majority of the funds needed to complete construction of the building in 1840. In addition to classroom space, Rhode Island Hall houses many offices, including the Resource Center, Psychological Services, PreMed Affairs, the Writing Fellows Program, Brown's chapter of Phi Beta Kappa, and the Office of International Programs. The OIP provides resources and information to students interested in studying abroad during their time at Brown. About one third of students choose to go abroad at some point, usually during the junior year. Brown offers more than a score of study abroad programs in almost as many foreign countries.

Slater Hall

Slater Hall is adjacent to the south side of University Hall, and has served as a dormitory since its completion in 1879. Slater's combination of spacious rooms and prime location makes it a popular choice for upperclass students at housing lottery time.

University Hall

The history of University Hall, Brown's first building, is practically as rich and storied as that of the University itself. Built when the school relocated to Providence in 1770, it was originally called the College Edifice, and housed all the College's students, classrooms, dining facilities, and administrative offices under one roof. Some criticized the fledgling College for building a structure much too large for its needs. The first graduating class, after all, consisted of only one student; but as the school matured, it outgrew the College Edifice, which was renamed University Hall upon the completion of Hope College in 1823. During the Revolutionary War, University Hall was used as a barracks by American troops, and later as a hospital by French forces. In 1963, the building was added to the National Register of Historic Landmarks.
Today, University Hall houses administrative offices, including those of several deans, the Registrar, and the President. Atop the building is the bell that was moved from the Carrie Tower, which now calls students to class daily.

Manning Hall

Manning Hall, built in 1835, is a memorial to the University's first president, James Manning. The lower floor of Manning, which now houses a classroom, was originally the University's library. Upstairs is the chapel, which, in addition to being the site of more than a few alumni weddings, serves as a non-sectarian place of worship for several different religious communities. These communities are represented by Brown's multi-faith chaplaincy. Modeled on an ancient temple, Manning contributes to the architectural diversity and flair of the buildings on the College Green.

Hope College

Hope College, built to ease the crowding problem in the College Edifice, was the second building constructed on campus. It was the first University building used exclusively as a dormitory, and still houses first year students today. Nicholas Brown, Jr., who lent his name to the University, paid the entire cost of the building's construction and named it after his sister upon its completion in 1823.