Connecticut Hall
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Connecticut Hall is a Georgian-style building on the Old Campus of Yale University. Built in 1752, it is the oldest building on the Yale campus and one of the oldest buildings in Connecticut. The building is the last surviving remnant of the Old Brick Row, the rest of which was demolished after the American Civil War.
Connecticut Hall was built under the direction of Thomas Clap, who was president of Yale at the time. The construction was headed by Francis Letort and Thomas Bills, the latter later helped to build the First Chapel. The money used to fund the project came from the sale of a French ship, as well as from a Connecticut lottery and a grant from the Connecticut Assembly. The building was built 100 feet long by 40 feet wide, and three stories tall.
As part of the Old Brick Row, it was known as South Middle and was enlarged to four stories. When Connecticut Hall faced demolition in the early 20th century, the building was saved by a group of alumni led by Professor Henry W. Farnam. After World War II, the building was gutted and rebuilt by Douglas Orr and Richard A. Kimball. It achieved National Historic Landmark status in 1965. Today it contains the offices of the comparative literature and philosophy departments. The Faculty Room, where the Faculty of Arts and Sciences holds its meetings, is located on the second floor.
The first two residence halls at Miami University in Oxford, Ohio, originally dubbed "Yale of the Early West", are modelled after Connecticut Hall.
Originally a student dormitory, its notable residents included:
