Student Housing

Northwest Quadrangle

Hanks, Goodyear, Russell, Batterson, Terry, Rogers

Welcome to Northwest! The Northwest community prides itself with giving back to the greater campus as well as providing connection and outreach with the local town. Northwest has a strong tradition of residents getting involved and performing community service. The Northwest community is comprised of 6 buildings that house first year students. The students in Northwest are highly engaged in campus activities and community events. A variety of activities is provided to help students with their adjustment to college. We look forward to meeting the new students and having a great year! Northwest houses only first-year students. Two of the residence halls contain services available to the entire area including an administrative office, mailroom, and game room. All of the residence halls have common areas and study lounges on the ground level. The two story-dining hall seats 500 students at ground level. It also has meeting rooms and a lecture hall on the second floor. The dining hall offers traditional, cafeteria-style dining. You can visit Dining Services web site to get Meal Plan information, menu information, and hours of operation. You can also call 486-FOOD for the dining hall menu.

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Fact Sheet

History

Batterson Hall was named for James Batterson, who is remembered for his works with granite and stone and for founding the Travelers Insurance Company. His company, New England Granite Works constructed the Soldiers' Monument at Gettysburg, as well as the State Capitol of Connecticut. The company also provided the Concord granite for the Library of Congress. Batterson Hall was built in 1950.

Goodyear Hall was named for Charles Goodyear, the inventor responsible for developing the vulcanization process that made possible the commercial use of rubber. Goodyear Hall was built in 1950.

Hanks Hall was named for the Hanks brothers, Rodney and Benjamin, inventors born on Hanks Hill in Mansfield, Connecticut. Benjamin, the older of the two, cast the first brass cannon and the first bells made in America. In 1780, he constructed and mounted the first town clock on the old Dutch Church in New York City. He also patented a tower clock powered by the wind. Rodney was a "mechanical genius" who built the first silk mill in America on Hanks Hill (Henry Ford took it to Dearborn, Michigan for his museum). Hanks Hall was built in 1950.

Rogers Hall was named after Asa, Simeon and William Rogers of Connecticut, who were pioneers in the silver industry in the nineteenth century. Rogers hall was the home of the Intentional Democratic Community, an experiment in democratic living. The hall was run completely by its student residents, who relied on each other, instead of the university. The students divided up common chores and maintained the residence independent of the university. It is also remembered as one of the first small unit halls on campus accessible to wheelchairs. The Intentional Democratic Community was closed in the early 1980s when residents failed to live up to the original principles on which it was founded. Rogers Hall was built in 1950.

Russell Hall was named for Samuel Russell who founded the famous mercantile house of Russell & Co. in Canton, China in 1824 and established the Russell Manufacturing Company, which produced elastic webbing. The latter was in Middletown, Connecticut. Upon his death, Russell's wife gifted Middletown with the Russell Library in remembrance of him. The house he built was given to Wesleyan University in 1936 and housed the Honor College. Russell Hall was built in 1950.

Terry Hall was named after Eli Terry, inventor and pioneer in the field of clockmaking. He operated the first clock factory in America in Terryville, Connecticut. In 1810, after completing a contract for 4,000 clocks, Terry sold his interest in Terry, Thomas, and Hoadley (est. 1807) and started his own business at Plymouth Hollow. He concentrated on designing the 'perfected wood clock',which he completed in 1814. It became the clock of choice of the time, driving out all other competition for a while. Terry Hall was built in 1950.

Wright Hall was named for Benjamin Wright, a senior engineer on the Erie Canal and was named the official "Father of American Civil Engineering" by the Society of Civil Engineering. The success of the canal stirred other states to improve their transportation systems and Wright was called upon to play a role. He consulted on the Farmington Canal in Connecticut as well as the St. Lawrence Ship Canal in 1833, the Chesapeake & Ohio Canal from 1828 to 1832, and for railroads in New York, Virginia, Illinois, and even Cuba. Wright Hall was built in 1950.