Newell Boathouse facts for kids
The Newell Boathouse is a special building used by Harvard University's main men's rowing teams. It's named after a popular Harvard athlete who sadly passed away not long after he graduated. This boathouse is on land owned by the state of Massachusetts, but Harvard gets to use it for a very small yearly payment, like a tiny 'peppercorn' rent.
History of the Boathouse
Many people call the Newell Boathouse the "elder statesman" (meaning it's old and respected) among all the boathouses on the Charles River.
The boathouse is named after Marshall Newell. He graduated from Harvard in 1894. Marshall was an amazing athlete, playing both rowing and football. He was so good at football that he was named an "All-American" player every year he was in college! Everyone loved him, and he was even nicknamed "Ma" because he helped guide younger athletes. Sadly, Marshall Newell died in 1897 while working for a railroad company. After his death, people raised $2,000 to build a boathouse in his memory.
The Newell Boathouse was built in 1900. It was designed by a company called Peabody and Stearns. One of the architects, Robert Peabody, was actually a rowing captain when he was a student at Harvard! The boathouse is made of concrete with a slate roof and outside walls. It was Harvard's first permanent boathouse, replacing older wooden ones.
Inside the boathouse, there's space to store long, narrow racing boats called "shells." It also has locker rooms, meeting rooms, and special rowing tanks for practice. The building's unique shape makes it a well-known landmark on the river.
The Land Agreement
The land where the Newell Boathouse stands is a great spot right by the river. This land actually belongs to the Commonwealth of Massachusetts (the state government). However, Harvard University pays only $1 per year to use this land for its boathouse. This agreement is set to last for one thousand years! After that, Harvard can choose to renew the lease for another thousand years. This type of agreement is called a "peppercorn lease" because the payment is so tiny, like a single peppercorn. It's almost like Harvard owns the land.
