Venable Hall facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Venable Hall |
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Venable Hall at Hampden–Sydney. Front facade, from the north.
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| Etymology | Richard Venable |
| General information | |
| Type | Dormitory |
| Architectural style | Federal |
| Location | Hampden Sydney, Virginia |
| Country | United States |
| Coordinates | 37°14′25″N 78°27′39″W / 37.240361°N 78.46092°W |
| Current tenants | Hampden–Sydney College |
| Construction started | 1824 |
| Completed | 1830 |
| Owner | Hampden–Sydney College |
| Technical details | |
| Floor count | 4 |
| Design and construction | |
| Architect | Dabney Cosby, Reuben and John Perry |
Venable Hall is a student dorm building at Hampden–Sydney College in southern Virginia. It was built in different parts between 1824 and 1830. This makes Venable Hall the second oldest dorm on the college's campus. The building is important enough to be listed on the Virginia Landmarks Register since 1969. It is also part of the National Register of Historic Places since 1970. This means it's a special historical building.
History of Venable Hall
Building a Historic Dorm
Work on Venable Hall started in 1824. It was finished in three steps by 1830. The building was designed and built by Dabney Cosby. He used the Federal style of architecture. This style was popular in the United States after the American Revolution. Venable Hall was made to look good next to Cushing Hall, another building on campus.
Home to a Seminary
When it was finished in 1830, Venable Hall became the home of the Union Presbyterian Seminary. A seminary is a school where people study to become religious leaders. This was the first Presbyterian seminary in the southern United States. It grew to become a very important school for the Southern Presbyterian Church. The seminary stayed at Hampden–Sydney until 1898. Then, it moved to its new location in Richmond.
A Gift to the College
After the seminary moved, Major Richard Venable bought its buildings. He was a student at Hampden–Sydney in 1857. He paid $10,000 for the buildings. Then, he gave them to the college. This generous gift doubled the size of the campus. Venable Hall was named in his honor. Today, it is still a residence hall for students. It also has the Parents & Friends Lounge, which used to be the seminary's chapel. The college's graduation ceremony, usually in May, takes place on the front lawn of Venable Hall.
