The old campus façade, with Brownell Hall on the right. Photo Credit: Trinity College Archives

Brownell Hall was the final building added to the Trinity College original campus in 1845 and was named for Thomas Church Brownell, Trinity's first president.

Though it was not constructed for 20 years, a third building was intended from the beginning, and images of Trinity with three buildings appeared as early as 1824, including a survey of Hartford done in 1824 and a woodcut on the title page of an 1827 Episcopal Watchman.

Brownell Hall was in exterior a replica of the "College," built in the ionic style in brownstone by Messrs. Campbell with woodwork by a Mr. Rowell. Upon its construction, the other two buildings were named, and the imposing 450-foot long vision of the “College on the Hill” was complete.

The Brownell Hall cornerstone, mounted in Downes Clock Tower. Photo Credit: Amanda Matava

Within the structure were thirty-eight student rooms, a recitation hall, and an apartment to be occupied by a Professor and his family. Although similar in external appearance to Jarvis Hall, the new building's interior was notably different from Jarvis. An arrangement of rooms around “entries” - rather than the long halls of Jarvis - provided better light and also precluded the boisterous log-rolling contests which had caused so much trouble for the faculty committee on student discipline. ¹⁾

In 1872, the City of Hartford offered Trinity a generous sum for the desirable College Hill, which it believed would make an ideal location for a new State Capitol building. The Trustees agreed, and ground was broken in early 1873 for the new Capitol building.

At the same time, the north section of Brownell Hall was vacated in anticipation for its destruction, and students were moved to Jarvis or rented rooms in Hartford. It was completely emptied in 1877, and students were moved across the street in temporary housing rented by the College; Brownell was demolished the same summer.

Unbeknownst to the community until 2008, the Brownell Hall cornerstone traveled with the College to Summit Street, where it was forgotten in the basement of one of the Long Walk buildings. Today, it is mounted inside Downes Memorial Clock Tower.

The History of Trinity College (1967) by Glenn Weaver, pp. 82, 180, 184.

Plan of the city of Hartford from a survey made in 1824 (1824), surveyed and published by Daniel St. John and N. Goodwin ; engraved by Asaph Willard (1786-1880). Held by Boston Public Library.