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EMERSON HOUSE

Emerson House is one of the 10 houses of "the Quad." The complex was built in stages starting in 1922 when a housing shortage prevented all students from living on campus. When all the houses were completed in 1936, William Allen Neilson, then the president of Smith, pronounced it the "Great Quadrangle." 

Emerson HouseEmerson is a 10-minute walk from academic buildings and 15 minutes from downtown Northampton. The short path from the Quad to the center of campus passes the president's house and offers a view of Paradise Pond and its island. 

The living room, located on the first floor, is often used for house parties and faculty-student parties. There is also a study room called the "Mauve Room" where students can find an alternative place to work if their roommate is asleep or when the Neilson Library is closed. There are 61 single rooms and 13 double rooms in the house.

Every fall a unique house tradition, Emerson's Medieval Banquet, takes place. Each senior in the house invites a professor to be her personal guest at a banquet full of singing, dancing, food and lots of fun. Both students and faculty attend in medieval garb and enjoy the festivities which the junior, sophomore and first year students have planned. Emerson House has a special role in what is one of Smith's best traditions, Mountain Day. Every fall, the president of the college chooses a beautiful autumn day to cancel classes, giving students the opportunity to enjoy the foliage and the weather. No one knows when Mountain Day will be until the president has the bells rung early in the morning to signify that classes are canceled. After the bells finish ringing, Emersonians blare the "1812 Overture" on their stereos to make sure the whole Quad is aware of the holiday. A house across the Quad responds by playing the "Hallelujah Chorus." 

During the summer of 1995, Emerson had the old slate roof replaced with new Vermont slate. Other renovations to the house included new bathrooms, new windows, carpet in the corridors and wiring for CyberSmith. In the fall of 1999, cable was installed and is available in all rooms.

Files for Download

Emerson Floor Plans - 1st Floor (PDF) >

Emerson Floor Plans - 2nd Floor (PDF) >

Emerson Floor Plans - 3rd Floor (PDF) >

Emerson Floor Plans - 4th Floor (PDF) >

 

Year built

1922

Renovations

1995

Capacity

87

Residential floors

4

Singles

61

Doubles

13

Triples

0

Approximate number sharing bathroom

17

Handicapped accessible

Yes

Elevator

No

Emerson House / Kathleen Crowe '99

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