Ayer Cottage facts for kids
Quick facts for kids First home of Pomona College |
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Ayer Cottage in 1887
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| Location | Corner Mission Blvd and South White Street, Pomona, California |
| Built | 1887 |
| Designated | June 27, 1938 |
| Reference no. | 289 |
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Ayer Cottage was a small house where Pomona College first started its classes! On September 12, 1888, students and teachers met here in Pomona, California. This special place was later named a California Historical Landmark in 1938.
The cottage was built in 1887. In 1888, it was rented to the new college. It had five rooms, and each one became a classroom. Today, the cottage is no longer there. A burger stand is now on the spot where it once stood. You can still find a special marker there to remember its history.
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Pomona College: How It Began
Pomona College was officially started on October 14, 1887. A group of people called Congregationalists wanted to create a college in Southern California. They hoped it would be like the famous colleges in New England.
Early Days at Ayer Cottage
Classes at Ayer Cottage began with a small group of students. The first cost for college was $60 per year. After two years, the college planned to move to a new spot. This new place was called Piedmont Mesa, north of Pomona.
However, something else happened. The college was offered a different location. It was an unfinished hotel in Claremont, California, a few miles away. The college leaders decided to take this offer.
Moving to Claremont
In 1889, Pomona College moved to Claremont. It kept its original name, even though it was no longer in Pomona. The old hotel building later became Sumner Hall. This building is still used today for the college's admissions office. The first class to graduate from Pomona College was in 1894. There were ten students in that first graduating class.
College Values and Independence
The people who started Pomona College believed in fairness for everyone in education. Many colleges started by Congregationalists, like Harvard and Dartmouth, have their own leaders. This helps them stay independent.
Pomona College also got its own group of leaders. They were called the board of trustees. These leaders came from other well-known colleges. Some were from Williams, Bates, and Yale.
Pomona College Today
In the 1920s, Pomona College helped start the Claremont Colleges. This is a group of several colleges that work together. Today, Pomona College is not connected to any religion. It is known as a top Liberal arts college on the West Coast.
Remembering the First Home
There is a special marker at the site of Ayer Cottage. It helps people remember where Pomona College began.
The marker says: On this site, September 12, 1888, was held the first session of Pomona College. This marker was placed in 1937 by the Historical Society of Pomona Valley. It is Marker Number 289.
California Historical Landmarks also shares information about the site: NO. 289 FIRST HOME OF POMONA COLLEGE - Pomona College, officially started on October 14, 1887, held its first class in this small house on September 12, 1888. Only a few eager students, five teachers, and the president, Professor Edwin C. Norton, were there. Five months later, in January 1889, the college moved to an unfinished hotel in Claremont.
