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19th Century Davidson Buildings

This guide provides an introduction to 19th century Davidson buildings. In addition to a general overview of campus construction, it lists extant and demolished buildings both on the campus and in the town.

Shearer Hall

Black and white photo of the exterior of Shearer's Hall (right three-quarters view)    Black and white photo of the exterior of Shearer Hall (aerial view)

  Black and white photo of the interior of Shearer's Hall, showing a fireplace and desk  Black and white photo of the interior of Shearer's Hall, showing a row of pews  

 

Dates: Built in 1837-38. Remodeled and named Shearer Hall in 1901. Demolished in 1960.

Quote: In 1901, President Shearer, known to the students as “Old Puss” decided he wanted a building named for his wife. so he pulled down an original professor’s house (known as Tammany Hall) and added the east wing to the old chapel, then he pulled off the columns and made it face the main highway, and finally stuccoed it over placing a marble plaque at the new front announcing that the building had been erected to the glory of God and Lizzie Gessner Shearer, giving rise to the somewhat profane nickname the building once had of “the Glory to God and Lizzie Hall.” 
- Davidson, Chalmers. “Funeral Sermon Preached at Demolition of Shearer Hall.” Typescript. 13 January 1960. Shearer Hall Davidsoniana file. Davidson College Archives.

Named for: Lizzie Gessner Shearer Hall, wife of Davidson College President John Bunyon Shearer.

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Mailing Address: Davidson College - E.H. Little Library, 209 Ridge Road, Box 5000, Davidson, NC 28035