The University of Washington Quad: A Tapestry of History, Traditions, and Cherry Blossoms
The University of Washington (UW) Quad, officially the Liberal Arts Quadrangle, stands as a vibrant nexus of history, tradition, and natural beauty. Enclosed by seven buildings designed in the Collegiate Gothic style, the Quad offers a cohesive architectural ensemble with geometric brick pathways. More than just a picturesque space, the Quad encapsulates the University's evolution, embodying its connection to the past, its commitment to the present, and its aspirations for the future.
Architectural Foundation and Evolution
The Quad's physical establishment as a dominant architectural theme began following the Regents Plan of 1915. The longest axis of the Quad runs northeast to southwest, feeding into the university’s central plaza, known as Red Square. The Rainier Vista axis to the south connects at Red Square, creating an obtuse “V” shape with the Liberal Arts Quad axis. Designed by the architectural firm of Bebb and Gould, Savery Hall (1917-1920), Smith Hall (1939), Raitt Hall (1916), and Miller Hall (1922) exemplify the Collegiate Gothic style. Gowen Hall (1932) by A.H. Albertson, and the Art (1949) and Music (1950) buildings by Whitehouse and Price further complement the Quad. Despite varied designers and construction dates, all are brick and terra-cotta structures with Collegiate Gothic styling.
The buildings lining the Quad feature varied exterior sculptural arrays. Carl Gould designed cast-stone gargoyles depicting women in various nurturing roles for Raitt Hall (originally the Home Economics Building). Figures by artist Alonzo Victor Lewis on Savery Hall feature philosophical themes, while on Gowen Hall, artist John Elliott portrayed famous jurists. Dudley Pratt carved 28 gargoyles on Smith Hall representing various continents and contemporary Northwest labor activities, including a World War I soldier wearing a gas mask. The Music and Art buildings, designed by Whitehouse and Price, feature towers resembling that of Tom Tower, designed by Christopher Wren, that marks Tom Quad at Christ Church at Oxford University in England.
The Enduring Legacy of the Four Columns
The University of Washington's origins trace back to two of Seattle's early pioneers, Arthur A. Denny and the Reverend Daniel Bagley, after whom Denny and Bagley Halls are named. Their vision led to the construction of the University’s first building in 1861 at the corner of what is now 4th and University Street in downtown Seattle. The Washington Territorial University officially opened on September 16, 1861.
In 1908, as the original site faced demolition, Edmond S. Meany sought to preserve the old building by moving it to the new campus. Only the hand-fluted cedar columns were saved and erected near the intersection of King and Pierce Lanes in the Quad in 1911.
Read also: The Alumni Quad: A Historical Overview
By 1920, the Quad was bordered by Raitt Hall (built in 1916) and the buildings that now form Savery Hall (Commerce Hall, 1917; Philosophy Hall, 1920), with Miller Hall (1922) on the horizon. This new University design plan dictated collegiate Gothic architecture for upper campus buildings. To resolve the conflict, Carl F. Gould organized a student design competition for the relocation of the columns. Sophomore Marshall W. Gill won first prize for his design incorporating the columns into a Sylvan Theater. In 2008 Facilities Services repaired the columns.
The four columns stand as a reminder of the University's beginnings and the dedication of early settlers to the values of higher education.
The Beloved Cherry Blossoms: Origins and Significance
Besides Dubs, the cherry blossoms may be the most beloved emblem of the UW. Thousands of visitors show up every year to appreciate their fleeting beauty, but few know the facts behind the flowers. The Quad's signature Yoshino cherry trees have multiple origin stories. The leading theory has been that they were purchased for $1.25 each in 1939 for the Washington Park Arboretum, where they were originally planted. But Yuki Shiotani, who studied at the UW in 2016-17 on an exchange from Waseda University in Tokyo, debunked this in an extensive paper on the cherry trees, citing evidence that the Quad’s trees were planted on or before 1936 by the Works Progress Administration as part of President Franklin D. Due to the lack of records, it remains unclear whether the Quad’s trees were originally donated or purchased. One theory suggests that the Quad’s cherry trees were originally planted at the Washington Park Arboretum and later moved to campus in the 1960s to save them from being destroyed by construction. Despite the uncertainty surrounding their origins, these trees have become an integral part of UW’s identity.
Professor Tetsuden Kashima led the effort to bring the trees to campus. Kashima said it will be a joy to watch a new group of cherry trees blossoming every year on campus. He imagines a time when the trees are fully grown and will greet people coming out of the new light rail station as they walk into campus. The older ones in the quad were first planted around 1939. If the old trees could talk, they would tell a sad chapter of the university’s history. In 2008 the Board of Regents voted to award honorary degrees to those students. On Tuesday, May 20, UW President Michael K. Young, Japanese Consul General Masahiro Omura, and others helped dedicate a new set of flowering cherry trees that will grace the Rainier Vista, a grassy area at the center of campus with views of Mount Rainier. A large crowd packed the event held in a tent on Rainier Vista. “We all benefit from this rich diverse heritage of our Japanese-speaking communities in the Pacific Northwest and at the University of Washington,” Young told the crowd. The event featured several speeches that commemorated the history of Japanese and Japanese American students who have attended the UW. Those relations haven’t always been perfect. In the 1940s, about 450 students were either sent to camps at the Puyallup fairgrounds, fled the state, or were drafted into the army. In Washington state, over 12,000 Japanese were incarcerated. “There’s so much with respect to the University of Washington’s relationship with Japan, Japanese cultures, and Japanese Americans … the history goes back for more than 100 years,” said UW professor of American Ethnic Studies Tetsuden Kashima. Kashima has been a visiting professor at two of Japan’s most prominent universities. “The cherry blossom represents the fertility and beauty of life,” Kashima said. “In their country, the blossoms are a reminder that life is almost overwhelmingly beautiful, but it is also tragically short.
While most people admire cherry blossoms for their aesthetic appeal, researchers like Marlee Theil are studying them for a different reason-to understand how climate change is affecting their bloom cycles. Phenology, the study of seasonal biological events, plays a crucial role in this research. Like many other plants, Cherry trees rely on a balance of chilling and heating units-cold temperatures that signal dormancy and warm temperatures that trigger growth. The data collected by Marlee’s team of 22 student volunteers helps track these changes and allows scientists to predict future trends. One of the more surprising details discussed in the episode was the difference in bloom timing between Seattle and Tacoma-despite being less than 50 miles apart. According to Marlee, this could be due to differences in tree speciesand local microclimates that slightly alter temperature patterns. Some species, like Prunus serrulata (Kwanzan cherry trees), naturally bloom later than the Yoshino cherry trees in the Quad.
Read also: Historical Significance of Alumni Quad
At nearly 90 years old, the Quad’s cherry trees are reaching the end of their natural lifespan. While they are still thriving thanks to careful monitoring and maintenance, the University of Washington is already planning their eventual decline. This approach means that when an older tree dies, it will be replaced with a genetically identical cherry tree from the same lineage.
Maintaining the trees is no easy task. Please treat the trees with the respect they deserve: Appreciate their beauty and the joy they bring to the community, and keep a safe distance. To help them continue living long, healthy lives, please do not touch.
The Quad as a Living Laboratory: Phenological Studies
Phenology is the study of seasonal biological events. An example of a phenological trait would be trees losing their leaves in the fall. The tree experiences environmental and biological cues. The temperature is getting colder, sunlight decreasing, and then it triggers the tree to lose its leaves. Another example would be a caterpillar forming a cocoon after a certain after a certain amount of time, after a certain amount of life stages, forms a cocoon to then become a moth or a butterfly. We start tracking at the February, but the buds are usually dormant for about a month while we’re tracking. So the buds, they start to break dormancy at the March. I’m sorry. One month. From the March.
There are over a hundred trees. We are tracking 107 on campus, but I know that there are a few more than that. The 27 of the original 29 are still there, and two of them have already died and been replaced. So there are still 29 in the quad, but 27 of the original ones. So our plan, if any of the other trees do die of o…
Traditions and Student Life
I've always been very sensitive to my surroundings, so it wasn't out of character that I chose to attend the University of Washington. A beautiful campus is not a good reason to pick a college, but there you have it. When I was a student there, I looked forward to cherry blossom time each spring. In the years since, it has become a Seattle thing, with hundreds of non-students crowding the Quad to see and shoot them at their peak. We arrived right after 8:30 classes started, so the Quad was pretty empty. These Yoshino cherry trees came from Japan, and many are quite elderly for such trees. Kashima in 2014. is almost overwhelmingly beautiful, but it is also tragically short. I'm sure the thousands of students and sightseers dashing around on campus are hardly thinking such poignant and weighty thoughts. And as the years go by, this concept does resonate with me more. "I'm about to graduate and have never taken a picture of these trees. I was happy to oblige. How about you? Have you been to see the cherry blossoms on the Quad, or somewhere else? Jump in with a comment below and make my day. Happy trails and thanks for visiting Pacific Northwest Seasons! While the Quad is lovely any time of year, the blossoms are mosty spent for 2017. It's still worth a trip, though, to see the tail end of the blossoms. Click here for a live streaming view of the Quad (and indeed there are still some blossoms left on the trees as of today). Here is a link on how to get to the UW Seattle campus, which has a link to over 60 bus routes to campus. New Student & Transfer Programs fosters a successful undergraduate student experience through strategic programming that focuses on positive academic transitions and the development of learning communities. Through partnerships with faculty, staff, alumni, and student leaders our programs create the space for students to define how they will engage, learn, and thrive at the University of Washington.Student leadership opportunitiesSupport new Huskies, gain leadership experience, and make your mark at the UW! Our student employee positions are open to all undergraduate students at the University of Washington in Seattle.
Read also: Is Quad Education Worth It?
tags: #University #of #Washington #Quad #history #and
