Thomas Jefferson Statue

Thomas Jefferson The bronze statue was a gift from the University of Virginia.

Plaque Commemorating the contributions of Professor Baldwin to the College's living archive of woody plant species.

Trees and Thomas Jefferson Statue Between Washington Hall and McGlothlin-Street Hall

The trees lining the area between Washington Hall and McGlothlin-Street Hall are hybrid oaks (Quercus lyrata x virginiana), planted by Professor Baldwin following his “ten-step method”: plant a tree, walk ten long steps, then plant another. These two rows of oaks beautifully frame the north-south axis formed by Blow Hall and Barrett Hall, intersecting the east-west “quadrangle” of the Sunken Garden.

Nearby stands a statue of Thomas Jefferson, a generous gift from the University of Virginia. At its dedication on November 11, 1992, U.Va. President John Casteen acknowledged Jefferson’s $17,000 debt to the College—a debt that contributed to financial hardship and the College’s closure in the 1880s, and was never fully repaid. He expressed hope that the statue’s donation might symbolically forgive this debt. The dedication plaque features a quotation from Jefferson:
> “I look to the diffusion of light and education as the resource most to be relied on for ameliorating the condition, promoting the virtue and advancing the happiness of man.”

Behind the statue, the brick wall of the southwest stairs holds a plaque honoring Professor Baldwin’s many contributions. His vision helped transform the College’s campus into a living archive of woody plant species.