Campus Landmarks

In the 60 years since the consolidation of Milwaukee-Downer College and Lawrence College, the presence of Milwaukee-Downer landmarks has expanded within our Appleton campus. This expansion has been largely due to the advocacy work of the Downer community. This page showcases many of these landmarks as well as context for why they are important to Milwaukee-Downer's history.

Lucia R. Briggs

Lucia Briggs with students, 1950, ARC2011-260, Lawrence University Archives.

On October 16, 1997 Lucia R. Briggs Hall was dedicated as a home for the social sciences and mathematics.

Today, Briggs Hall houses the anthropology, economics, education, government, mathematics, and psychology departments. The building includes laboratories for "developmental psychology, clinical psychology, social psychology, ethnography and archaeology/ paleoanthropology" as well as several computer laboratories.

Briggs Hall also houses Lawrence University's Anthropology Collections which consists of a large variety of archeological, biological, and ethnographic materials coming from all around the world.

Lucia R. Briggs was the president of Milwaukee-Downer College from 1921 to 1951. During her time as president, the endowment and student enrollment increased and the Sabin Science building and Chapman Memorial Library were constructed.

Like her predecessor Ellen Sabin, Briggs placed a great deal of value on the liberal arts along with complimentary, professional training. Briggs was the first woman to serve as president of the Association of American Colleges.

Briggs Hall exterior, 2024, photographed by Claire Cannell.

Alice G. Chapman

Alice G. Chapman was born in Boston and grew up in Milwaukee. She attended Milwaukee Female College and would become deeply involved in the work of its successor, Milwaukee-Downer College.

Chapman was a long-time benefactor of Milwaukee-Downer College and served on the Board of Trustees from 1906 until her death in 1935.

Chapman's service to Milwaukee-Downer College was commemorated in the Chapman Memorial Library, where her Teakwood Room was a beloved place within the building.

Alice G. Chapman, circa 1910-1935, ARC2015-174, Lawrence University Archives.

In 1968, Downer Commons (named for Milwaukee-Downer College predecessor, Downer College's benefactor Jason Downer), opened as Lawrence University's main cafeteria. It also served as a home for Milwaukee-Downer heritage, housing the Teakwood Room.

In 2016, the building was renamed Alice G. Chapman Hall. Today it houses offices such as admissions and the registrar, as well as the Hurvis Center for Film Studies.

Alice G. Chapman Hall exterior, 2024, photographed by Claire Cannell.

Grandfather Clocks

The Merrill Hall "Flanders" clock was gifted to Milwaukee-Downer College in 1902 by Kate Flanders Duryea, Milwaukee College class of 1868 (Milwaukee-Downer College was itself created from the consolidation of Milwaukee College and Downer college in 1895.) The clock honors her father, Walter Power Flanders, a member of the first board of Milwaukee College.

The "Flanders" clock is one of a group of grandfather clocks that adorned the Milwaukee-Downer College.

Entrance to the Chapel in Merrill Hall, circa 1960, ARC2017-061, Lawrence University Archives.

Upon the consolidation in 1964, eight grandfather clocks were brought from Milwaukee to the Lawrence University campus in Appleton. Prior to this time, Lawrence College had one grandfather clock, so the addition brought Lawrence University's total number of grandfather clocks to nine.

Two of these clocks have found their home in the Seeley G. Mudd Library, including the Flanders clock which is on the north side of the first floor of the library. The other Milwaukee-Downer grandfather clock in the library can be found on the west side of the first floor. It comes from Alumnae Hall (within Holton Hall) where it was also donated by Kate Flanders Duryea, in honor of her mother, Susan Everett Flanders.

Grandfather Clock from Merrill Hall in the Seeley G. Mudd Library, 2024, Photographed by Claire Cannell.

Hawthornden

Located between McLaren Hall, Holton Hall & Albert Memorial Hall, Hawthornden, a grove of hawthorn trees, was a beloved meeting place on the Milwaukee-Downer College Campus.

Hawthornden was used as the setting for many outdoor on-campus events such as commencement, class day exercises, picnics, parties, and May Day festivities.

Hawthornden, circa 1907-1964, ARC2014-007, Lawrence University Archives.

The Milwaukee-Downer Purple Class of 1961 decided to raise funds for a new Hawthornden on Lawrence University's campus for their 25th class reunion gift. While a patch of hawthorn trees already existed near Colman Hall, they were far apart from one another and the area did not have the same feeling of seclusion as Downer's Hawthornden.

Members of the class of 1941 also contributed to the fund as a tribute to their late classmate Charlotte Drummer Allen. Her husband, John Allen, also contributed in tribute to their daughter Barbara Allen '64.

The statue of a woman in historic clothing symbolizes the Downer women who spent time in introspection in Hawthornden. It was created by Kimberly Clark Robinson '89, a student of Dane Purdo (a Milwaukee-Downer art professor who came to Lawrence University following the consolidation.)
The ground was broken on the new Hawthorden in 1990 and it was dedicated in 1991.

Self Portrait by Kimberly Clark Robinson, 1988, in Lawrence University's Hawthornden, Photographed by Claire Cannell, 2024

The Katie

Representative of Milwaukee-Downer's rich crew tradition, Katie is a 55 foot long, eight-person rowing shell that was used by the crew team from 1938 to around 1964.

One May 27, 1949 The Snapshot article references the Katie as follows:

"'Cruising down the river' every afternoon, the crew classes are busily getting in shape for Regatta. After giving Katie a workout last week, they're now exercising Althea to have them both ready for the big day."

Milwaukee-Downer Rowers with the Katie Rowing Shell, 1949, ARC2013-130, Lawrence University Archives.

When Lawrence and Milwaukee-Downer consolidated in 1964, the Katie was not transported to Appleton.

Nearly 50 years later, in 2013 the Katie was discovered in the loft of a barn by Will Evans '13. A group of Milwaukee-Downer alumnae raised the funds to have the shell restored and installed on the first floor of the Seeley G. Mudd Library, where it remains viewable to this day.

The Katie Hanging in the Seeley G. Mudd Library, 2022, photographed by Katie DeRuyter.

Library Materials

According to the 1962 Milwaukee-Downer College Bulletin Catalog Issue 1962-1963, at the time of writing, the Chapman Memorial Library contained:

"70,179 volumes, including 12,172 bound periodicals, and it receives 315 current periodicals... The library also contains many rare editions and examples of fine binding which have been aquired through the generosity of donors."

Chapman Memorial Library interior, circa 1960, ARC2007-119, Lawrence University Archives.

The May 15, 1964 Lawrentian reports that more than 40% of Milwaukee-Downer's library collection were to be incorporated into the Lawrence library.

In 1974, Downer alumnae contributed funds to create the rare book room in the new Seeley G. Mudd Library. The room, first known as the "Heritage Room" was redicated as the "Milwaukee-Downer Room" at the Sesquicentennial Celebration of Milwaukee-Downer College in 2001. The Milawukee-Downer Room continues to house many rare books originally from the Downer library.

Milwaukee-Downer Room in the Seeley G. Mudd Library, 2022, photographed by Katie DeRuyter.

Sundial

Merrill Hall, built in 1899 as an administration building, was known as the academic center of the Milwaukee-Downer campus. In the early 1960s it housed administrative and business offices, art studios, and classrooms.

Merrill Hall's tower and sundial were and remain symbols of the Milwaukee-Downer campus. In the October 31, 1947 issue of The Snapshot, one author writes:

"Heart of the MDC campus, Merrill Tower with its sundial stands out proudly against the sky. Its English Gothic Architecture creates an imposing effect, and the red brick sandstone, half-hidden under climbing ivy, presents a picture fixed in the mind of every Downer girl."

Merril Hall, circa 1899-1964, ARC2007-063, Lawrence University Archives.

The Merrill Hall sundial was brought to the Lawrence University campus as a gift from the Milwaukee-Downer class of 1932 in 1973. The Sundial was installed and dedicated on the south side of Main Hall October, 1975 during a celebration of the 125th anniversary of Milwaukee-Downer College. At the installation, professor of English Thomas Dale gave remarks, stating that:

“The Downer motto SIT LUX and the Lawrence motto VERITAS EST LUX are as relevant as ever; for if a seemingly overwhelming flood or sheer raw “lux” and miscellaneous “veritas” rushes on us in books and journals and the amazing mechanical memories of computers, we have the greater need of a gnomon – the pointer of the sundial, which also means the interpreter, the guide – whose shadow measures where we are in time and space…We need not ask where Downer is; the light now falling on the sundial tells us that Downer is here and now.”

The Sundial on Main Hall, 2024, photographed by Claire Cannell.

The Teakwood Room

The Teakwood Room was designed in 1894 by Lockwood de Forest for the home of Alice G. Chapman. Following Chapman's death in 1935, the Chapman Memorial Library was constructed and her Teakwood Room was dismantled and reassembled within.

The room was used for events such as poetry readings, chamber music, coffee hours and receptions.

Teakwood Room in the Chapman Memorial Library, 1937, ARC2007-061, Lawrence University Archives.

At the time of the consolidation, members of the Milwaukee-Downer community advocated that the Teakwood room be moved and preserved.

They were successful and in 1968, Downer Commons was constructed and the Teakwood Room was once again dismantled and reassembled within. The building was originally named for Downer College benefactor Judge Jason Downer. Today it is known as Alice G. Chapman Hall.

The Teakwood Room in Alice G. Chapman Hall, 2024, photographed by Claire Cannell.