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WASHINGTON AND LEE UNIVERSITYLEXINGTON, VIRGINIAFigure 7: The President’s House, ca. 1880. (Source: Lyle & Simpson, The Architecture of Historic Lexington.)Figure 8: Lee Chapel, ca. 1870. (Source:Miley Photo Collection, Washington and LeeUniversity Library)his ideas about nature clearly influenced its final form as is madeclear in another building constructed during his tenure, the newpresident’s house, designed by architect C.W. Oltmanns and built in1869, and in Lee’s improvements to the landscape (see fi gure 7).20These landscape improvements included the planting of severaltrees, in particular on the front lawn, where it is said Lee remarkedthat this should be done “not in rows: Nature never plants trees inrows. As far as possible to imitate nature.” 21Lee also influenced the placing of fences on campus grounds. Hecommented that: “A fence is a blot on any lawn. We must havea fence but select a color [of paint], which will render the fenceas inconspicuous as possible: one that will harmonize with thesurrounding colors (see fi gure 8).” 22Two further buildings constructed during Lee’s tenure included agymnasium and hotel built on the college property in 1867 althoughit is not clear if the college added to the already extant Old BlueHotel or if a new hotel was constructed at a different location. Thegymnasium according to Gray’s 1877 Atlas, was located north of theChapel and the hotel was located close to Jefferson Street to the westof the gymnasium, it is not certain if these are the same buildings asthose constructed in 1867.20Lyle Jr., and Pamela Simpson, The Architecture of Historic Lexington,162.21Franklin L. Riley, General Robert E. Lee After Appomattox (New York:Macmillan, 1930), 88.22Riley, General Robert E. Lee After Appomattox, 88.2-12
PRESERVATION MASTER PLANOCTOBER 2005Figure 9: Newcombe Hall and Colonnade, ca. 1880s. (Source: Lyle & Simpson, The Architecture of Historic Lexington.)Lee died in October 1870, and was buried in the floor of the libraryin the lower level of the Chapel. The Lee Memorial Associationcommissioned sculptor Edward V. Valentine to create a memorialin 1870. In 1883 a statue chamber and family crypt were added anda marble statue of Lee lying on his camp bed was delivered to theschool and placed in the chapel. Lee’s tenure as President had savedthe institution from financial and moral destitution and infused itwith a new vitality and pride. In recognition of this, the name of thecollege was changed in 1871 to Washington and Lee University.ECONOMIC PROSPERITY: 1871-1900During a brief period of economic recession, very little occurred atWashington and Lee, except the remodeling of Robinson Hall into amuseum (later Brooks museum), for the display of a large donationof biological and geological specimens made to the school in 1876.Things brightened in the late 1880s and early 1890s prompting abuilding campaign. This came to fruition under Baltimore architectJames Crawford Neilson, who was hired to design a new librarybuilding, Newcomb Hall, built in 1882 (see fi gure 9). John Champe,a local brick mason, laid distinctively patterned bricks forming awalkway along the Colonnade. Although shipped from Lynchburgand used in many communities in the area, they became known asLexington bricks and were used throughout the town. 2323Mame Warren, Ed. Come Cheer for Washington And Lee (Lexington, VA:Washington And Lee University, 1998).2-13
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