Chapman House

From Special Collections Research Center Wiki

The Chapman House stood on the corner of Francis and North Boundary streets. The two-story frame house was known to have been standing by 1861. During the 19302 it was used as the Sigma Alpha Epsilon House. It was then owned by Ann Chapman. The Colonial Williamsburg Foundation purchased the in June 1954.

In 1955 the College of William and Mary began leasing the property on a year-to-year basis. Chapman Hall opened in 1955 as a student center with 3 lounges on the first floor and a girls' lounge, a meeting room, a public telephone room, and two offices on the second floor. The back living room on the first floor was used for TV, games, drink machines, and a record player. In 1959 Ted Hunnicut began broadcasting an experimental radio station from the cellar - the forerunner of WCWM. The Chapman House also served as the temporary Student Union building from 1955-1960. The building was demolished in 1960.

Photographs

• The Flat Hat, 5/3/1955, p. 1

References

• University Archives Buildings File (2007), Chapman House, Earl Gregg Swem Library, The College of William and Mary.

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Questions? Contact the SCRC at spcoll@wm.edu or 221-3090, or visit the Special Collections Research Center in the Earl Gregg Swem Library at the College of William and Mary (hours).

A Note About The Contents Of This Wiki

Unfortunately, many of the early original records of the College of William and Mary were destroyed by fire, military occupation, and the normal effects of time. The information available here is the best available from known documents and sources at the time it was written. Information in this wiki is not complete as new information continues to be uncovered in the SCRC's collections and elsewhere. Researchers are strongly encouraged to use the SCRC's access tools for their research as the information contained in this wiki is by no means comprehensive.