F FO OR RG GO OT TT TE EN N S SP PA AC CE ES S
tHE HIDDEN places ACROSS gcu CAMPUS
VOl. 1 ISSUE 3
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GeorgianCourtUniversityisknownforits remarkablegroundsandhistoricalarchitecture, thecampusformerlybeingtheGildedAgeestateof railroadtycoonGeorgeJayGould.Thecampusis consideredaNationalHistoricLandmark,and continuestopreservethecharmingfeaturesfrom theoriginalestate.
Whilethebeautyofourcampusisundeniable, therearealotofspacesthatremainhiddenand losttotime.Oldhandballcourts,atticspacesfull ofoldblueprints,andoldtunnelsareafewofthe placesSeniorBelynndaKinghasexploredinher researchproject.
Belynndahasa passionforresearch, takinginterestinthe archivesabout campushistory.For monthssheworked touncoverthe historyofGCUalumniJessicaDragonette.Inher research,Belynndauncoveredalong-lostportrait ofDragonettethatwasgiftedtoGeorgianCourt. Wherewasthepainting?Inanoldloftspaceabove theNorthDiningHall,hiddenbehindboxesina closet.
Inhersearchtofindthepainting,Belynnda realizedhowmanyspacesacrosscampuswere unused.Theatticspaceabovethedininghallwas oneofseveralspacesshefoundemptyyetfullof potential.
AbovetheNorthDininghallisaloftspacefullof filingcabinetsandblueprints.Itisunclearwhat theprintsshow, butBelynnda speculatesthey shareinsightto thearchitecture acrosscampus.
“Ipersonally
theRicheyCenter,”Belynnda eIknowtheRicheyCenteris currentlystrugglingtofindaplacewithinthe GeorgianCourtatmosphere.”
AnotherlocationBelynndafoundwasthe handballcourtsinthecasinobuilding.Fromthe exterior,largeglassroofsshowaglimpseof handballandsquashcourts.Thesespacesare inaccessible,andrequirenavigatingtighthallway spacesandopening lockeddoors.
Belynndabelievesthat itisimportantforthe studentcommunityto educatethemselvesonthe richhistoryofthecampus. Whilesquashandhandball arenotaspopularasthey oncewere,thesecourts couldbeusedorrepurposed forothercampusactivities.
Withthe$19milliondollarinvestmentthat GeorgianCourtreceivedthisyear, Belynndahopessomeofthismoney cangotowardsrenovatingthese spacesoncampusforstudentuse.
Camera and editor cameren anderson
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Molly Thamrong