On the Hunt for History

As we celebrate Furman’s 200th birthday throughout the year, it’s important that the physical history of our university be recognized, especially a history that might be tucked away or simply off the beaten path. We invite you to enjoy a scavenger hunt that brings a bit of that history to light and gives us all a chance to explore one of the most beautiful college campuses in the country. 

BRICKS ON THE GROUND 

Bricks adorn every college campus, but few have so many with so much history. The next time you walk to the Bell Tower or take a visit to the Old College two-room schoolhouse or visit Clark Murphy and the Rose Garden, look down. Most, if not all, of those bricks came from the old campus in downtown Greenville, including some from the original Bell Tower. They pave the path where we have been, and where we are going. 

Stained glass from the original campus. Photo by Nathan Gray, Furman University.

STORIED STAINED GLASS 

There was talk of sending history hunters to just one specific stained glass on the list of 15. But since they are spread across campus, we will give credit for any one of them. The story goes that during the move to campus in the early 1950s, stained glass honoring different majors or significant figures in Furman’s history were removed, crated and sent to the new campus. Over time, those crates were misplaced and forgotten. Until 2003, however, when they turned up during renovations to the Duke Library. Today, they hang in different spaces on campus. See if this picture helps you find one of them. (HINT: Most are in the library, so see if you can find one not in that building.) 

SING OUT LOUD 

Like a national anthem, a college’s alma mater exudes challenge, triumph, exaltation and spirit. Rather than simply hearing the words, you can see the original manuscript of the alma mater in the James B. Duke Library’s Special Collections. Learn when it was written and who wrote it while marking this next stop off your list. 

SEAL OF APPROVAL 

At the main entrance to the Clark Murphy Housing Complex, the original women’s residence on campus, look above the arches and you will see a blue and gold seal. It’s the seal of Greenville Woman’s College and reads “Non Sine Pulvere” meaning “not without dust” or “not without struggle.” It’s come to represent a different time at Furman and the growth and change that continues at the university. 

PUT A RING ON IT 

Sure, we sent you to the Bell Tower bricks already but bring things full circle and go see the Bell Tower itself. Though not the original structure from the downtown Greenville campus, this Bell Tower was built almost identical to the first. Try to visit when it rings out a chime or a song. 

The gates of the Greenville Women’s College. Photo by Nathan Gray, Furman University.

YOU SHALL PASS 

Speaking of the Greenville Woman’s College, Furman also moved the gates of that campus to Furman in recognition of the times when the school was split by gender. That all ended in 1961, but you can still get a glimpse of the gates that young men and women might have had to sneak through during a different time in history.  

ONCE UPON A TIME 

Back at the library, you don’t have to go far to find chandeliers hanging within its walls. Those ornate light fixtures are actually from the 18th century and are your next stop on this historic hunt. 

HUMBLE BEGINNINGS 

Near the Bell Tower, the original two-room schoolhouse known as Old College sits near Furman Lake. It was built in 1851 and was used by James C. Furman and Charles H. Hudson. It was marked for preservation in 1910 and moved to campus in 1958. 

FURMAN’S CHAMBER POT 

That’s not a typo and you probably won’t get a glimpse of it, but the Cherrydale house, home to the Furman alumni office, has the founder’s chamber pot on the second floor. And if you don’t know what a chamber pot is, ask someone. The relic is a favorite among history students who tour the space, but you’ll just have to take our word for it. 

A step from the building in Winnsboro, South Carolina. Photo by Nathan Gray, Furman University.

A STEP IN TIME 

It’s no secret that Winnsboro, South Carolina, was once home to an early iteration of Furman’s campus. And we have proof of that outside the admissions office in a step from one of that campus’s old buildings. Find it, sit on it, take a picture and come by the information desk at the Hill Atrium in the Trone Student Center from 1-4 p.m. throughout the month of May to get a certificate and brick from the original Blackwell Hall, and our congratulations for completing this Furman History Scavenger Hunt.