Lakeside Cottage

Lakeside Cottage was the first living residence for men on campus. Due to misunderstandings between the contractor and the College, only a few rooms furnished on the inside when the fall semester began in 1886, allowing just four students to live in the building meant to hold up to twenty-five students. The remaining charter students had to take up residence in the Larrabee house at the corner of West Morse Boulevard and New York Avenue until late 1886.

Designed also by George H. Rand, the house was in Queen Anne design similar to Pinehurst, except that it was turned a quarter of the way south. Since it was located on a high elevation overlooking Lake Virginia, it was named Lakeside. Among its residents was alumnus Rex Beach (’97 ’27H), the novelist. The building remained a men’s dormitory until 1949 when it was used for a year as the Alpha Phi sorority house. Then it changed back and forth over years between being a male dorm and a female residence. The last resident of the Lakeside Cottage was the fraternity Phi Delta Theta. It was demolished on September 3, 1970.

Lakeside Cottage Demolition in 1970