United States Military Academy grounds and facilities

United States Military Academy

The United States Military Academy at West Point is a four-year coeducational federal service academy located at West Point, New York. The academy sits on scenic high ground overlooking the Hudson River, north of New York City...

(West Point) and grounds were declared a National Historic Landmark

National Historic Landmark

A National Historic Landmark is a building, site, structure, object, or district, that is officially recognized by the United States government for its historical significance...

in 1960 due to the Revolutionary War history and the age and historic significance of the Academy itself. The majority of the buildings in the central cadet area are historic. Notable structures and points of interest on post include:

Geography

West Point is located approximately 50 miles (80.5 km) north of New York City on the western bank of the Hudson River

Hudson River

The Hudson is a river that flows from north to south through eastern New York. The highest official source is at Lake Tear of the Clouds, on the slopes of Mount Marcy in the Adirondack Mountains. The river itself officially begins in Henderson Lake in Newcomb, New York...

. The Academy's geographic location and geologic formations have directly shaped its history. There wouldn't even be a military garrison at West Point were it not for the narrow "s-curve" in the river, literally creating a "west point" in the river that was so prominent and important for controlling shipping traffic on the Hudson during colonial times. In addition to the narrow double-90 degree turns, the currents and winds were erratic and unpredictable, making even an unopposed navigation difficult. In addition to the strategic shape of the Hudson River, the Highlands

Hudson Highlands

The Hudson Highlands are mountains on both sides of the Hudson River in the U.S. state of New York, between Newburgh Bay and Haverstraw Bay, which form the northern region of the New York - New Jersey Highlands....

rise up sharply from river level to 1400 feet (426.7 m) at some places in the immediate area. The combination of the narrow river turns and the commanding high ground made this place the perfect location for the Continental Army to build its stronghold against British troop movement into upstate New York during the American Revolution. The Continental Army first occupied the relatively level plain

The Plain (West Point)

The Plain is the parade field at the United States Military Academy at West Point, New York. The flat terrain of the Plain is in contrast to the varied and hilly terrain of the remainder of the campus. The Plain rises approximately above the Hudson River and has been the site of the longest...

and constructed Fort Clinton

Fort Clinton (West Point)

Fort Clinton was the main defensive garrison of the Revolutionary War defense network at West Point. Commanded by and named after Benedict Arnold before his betrayal of the Revolutionary Army and defection to the British, it was later renamed after General James Clinton...

and supporting redoubts and batteries of artillery on prominent hills in the area and across the river on Constitution Island

Constitution Island

Constitution Island is an island in the Hudson River, at West Point, New York. It is part of the grounds of the United States Army Garrison, West Point. United States Military Academy...

. Guests of cadets who visit Flirtation Walk

Flirtation Walk (West Point)

Flirtation Walk is a historic rocky foot trail at the United States Military Academy. The trail follows the shoreline of the Hudson River along the western bank. The southern trailhead starts at the edge of the Lincoln Hall parking lot and winds north along the river around Gee's Point and the...

can experience glimpses of the Revolutionary War era terrain as the shoreline along the river below the plain has not changed much in over 200 years. It wasn't until after the war that congress actually purchased the land upon where Fort Clinton stood. In 1790, Congress purchased an initial tract of 1700 acres (6.9 km²) from a Stephen Moore of North Carolina.

For the first hundred years of the Academy, ship-board traffic, then later rail-traffic, were the only ways to access West Point from New York City. In the years immediately following the Revolutionary War, the Hudson Highlands

Hudson Highlands

surrounding West Point were sparsely populated and often harbored "gangs of thieves". An 1819 letter from superintendent Sylvanus Thayer

Sylvanus Thayer

Colonel and Brevet Brigadier General Sylvanus Thayer also known as "the Father of West Point" was an early superintendent of the United States Military Academy at West Point and an early advocate of engineering education in the United States.-Biography:Thayer was born in Braintree, Massachusetts,...

complained to the Secretary War John C. Calhoun

John C. Calhoun

John Caldwell Calhoun was a leading politician and political theorist from South Carolina during the first half of the 19th century. Calhoun eloquently spoke out on every issue of his day, but often changed positions. Calhoun began his political career as a nationalist, modernizer, and proponent...

of the lawlessness of the local inhabitants in the highlands surrounding West Point. As transportation technology improved and coal became the dominant source of energy consumption, the wildness of the highlands subsided and the hill people whose lives were linked to subsistence upon the forest began to disappear. By the turn of the century, the Academy had begun to expand beyond the immediate reaches of the Plain

The Plain (West Point)

and grew both south along the river and westward into the highlands.

History

The entire central post was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1960, but none of the occupied structures currently on post date to the Revolutionary War

American Revolutionary War

The American Revolutionary War , the American War of Independence, or simply the Revolutionary War, began as a war between the Kingdom of Great Britain and thirteen British colonies in North America, and ended in a global war between several European great powers.The war was the result of the...

period. The oldest surviving buildings are the residences of the Superintendent and the Commandant. Local legend states that one of the foundation walls of the Warner House on Constitution Island dates to the revolutionary war period, but that has never been verified through documentation. Through much of the first 150 years, progress superseded historical preservation as the norm at the academy and many of the most historically significant and grand structures of the "old academy" were demolished to make way for newer and more functionally modern structures.

Revolutionary war structures & sites

The garrison at West Point originally centered around Fort Clinton

Fort Clinton (West Point)

, the Great Chain

Hudson River Chain

The Hudson River Chain may refer to any of several chains used as a blockade across the Hudson River intended to prevent British naval vessels from proceeding up the river during the American Revolutionary War.-The Great Chain :...

, and the defenses built upon Constitution Island

Constitution Island

Constitution Island is an island in the Hudson River, at West Point, New York. It is part of the grounds of the United States Army Garrison, West Point. United States Military Academy...

. Many of the revolutionary war

American Revolution

The American Revolution was the political upheaval during the last half of the 18th century in which thirteen colonies in North America joined together to break free from the British Empire, combining to become the United States of America...

fortifications still dot the more remote landscape of the academy grounds. Some have been nearly fully restored, such as Fort Putnam

Fort Putnam

Fort Putnam was a military garrison during the Revolutionary War at West Point. Built by a regiment of Colonel Rufus Putnam's 5th Massachusetts Infantry, it was completed in 1778 with the purpose of supporting Fort Clinton, which sat on the edge of the Hudson River about a 3/4 of a mile away...

, while some have been partially restored, such as Redoubt 4

Redoubt Four (West Point)

Redoubt Four was a supporting defensive position of Fort Putnam during the Revolutionary War defensive network at West Point. It was constructed under the command of Tadeusz Kosciuszko in 1778-1779. During the war, it was a key defensive overwatch position for Fort Putnam 300 feet below, which...

, and some are almost completely reduced to little more than historical markers, such as Fort Clinton. Numerous redoubts were constructed in support of Fort Clinton. Those who survive to present day were fortunate to be in hard-to-reach places that did not impede in the expansion of the academy. Redoubts that are long since lost to time and progress included several in the vicinity of the Warner House on Constitution island, and two small outposts near the present day Lusk Reservoir

Lusk Reservoir

Lusk Reservoir is located next to Michie Stadium at the United States Military Academy at West Point. It is open for fishing in the Spring and early Fall, and usually freezes over during the winter months. The volume of the reservoir is required knowledge of all freshmen at the Military Academy....

housing area. In the academy's first one hundred years or so, there was little thought given to preserving these historical fortifications as the remains of Ft. Clinton fell into disrepair and were eventually demolished and some of the smaller redoubts were scavenged for their stone or raised to make room for other structures. One of the more unique remaining Revolutionary War sites is Kosciuszko's Garden

Kosciuszko's Garden

Kosciuszko's Garden is a small retreat garden built by Tadeusz Kosciuszko on the side of a cliff overlooking the Hudson River at West Point, New York. First constructed in 1778, it still offers visitors and cadets a place of quiet tranquility during the warmer months. The "General Edward L...

, which sits on the east-facing cliff side about 40 feet (12.2 m) below present day Cullum Hall. Immediately after the war's conclusion, Revolutionary War-era barracks and quarters served the academic mission of the fledgling academy. Records of these structures have been lost to time and a fire in 1838.

Historical academy structures of significance that no longer exist

In 1808, six years after the formal founding of the academy, Congress authorized the expansion of the Corp of Cadets from only a handful to nearly 300 hundred. Along with this increase in personnel came the funding to house them. The first formal set of barracks were constructed in 1815 and 1817 and were known as North and South Barracks. These structures houses the Corps of Cadets until they were replaced and demolished in the early 1850s. The main academic building, known simply as "the Academy", was also constructed in 1815. These three buildings are depicted in the 1828 painting by George Catlin

George Catlin

George Catlin was an American painter, author and traveler who specialized in portraits of Native Americans in the Old West.-Early years:...

to the left. On 19 February 1838, a fire destroyed the original academic building and most of the academy's records. The replacement of the original "academy", was constructed on the site of present day Pershing Barracks in 1839 and remained in use until 1891. This academic building was three levels tall and multipurpose, with a large open floor plan on the ground floor that doubled as a riding hall during the winter months. In 1829, the West Point Hotel was built on the eastern edge of Trophy Point

Trophy Point

Trophy Point is a scenic overlook of the Hudson River Valley located at West Point, New York. It has been the subject of numerous works of art since the early 19th century. Trophy Point is the location of Battle Monument, one of the largest columns of granite in the world...

. The hotel would stand overlooking the Hudson River for a century until is was demolished in the early 1930s, several years after the construction of the Thayer Hotel

Thayer Hotel

The Thayer Hotel is a 149-room "Historic Hotel of America" property located 50 miles north of New York City on the banks of the Hudson River at 674 Thayer Road in West Point, New York on the campus of the United States Military Academy...

. In 1841, superintendent Richard Delafield oversaw the construction of the old cadet library and observatory, which stood at the intersection of Cullum Road and Jefferson Place near present day Cullum Hall and the second cadet library. That library stood on the southern edge of the Plain for 119 years before it was demolished in 1960. That library was built in the style known as Tudor Gothic and helped set the tone of future buildings on the edge of the plain. The offices of the Superintendent, Adjustant, Quartermaster, & Treasurer were in the library until the new Headquarters was built in 1870. The old library's observatory had to be moved up the hill near Lusk Reservoir

Lusk Reservoir

when a train tunnel was constructed under the Plain in 1880. The observatory stood at the top of the hill above the cadet chapel until it was closed and demolished in the 1950s. In 1851, Delafield oversaw a major overhaul in the barracks conditions with the construction of more modern barracks, built in the "division" style that is still prevalent in the older remaining barracks on post. These barracks, known as "Old Central Barracks" remained in use for over 100 years before being demolished in the 1960s. Today, only the 1st Division remains, standing as a monument in the cadet central area, preserved as "Ninenger Hall", which houses the Cadet Honor Committee. The "Old Cadet Mess Hall" was built on the site of the current Grant Hall in 1852 and served as the dining hall for the Corps of Cadets until it was replaced by Washington Hall and demolished in 1930 to make way for the current Grant Hall. In 1852, Delafield oversaw the construction of the Commandant's headquarter's building and cadet guardhouse on the site of present day Bradley Barracks. This building helped encircle the cadet "central area", which is similar to the courtyard known in present day as "Central Area". The Commandant's office was demolished in 1920. The Commandant's offices are currently on the 4th floor of Washington Hall overlooking the Plain. On the site of present day Thayer Hall, on the lower rises of the cliffs along the Hudson, the Old Riding Hall was constructed beginning in 1855. The structure was known as the largest equestrian riding all in the US during its day. This hall stood on the cliff below the Plain until being demolished for a new riding hall in 1908. In 1870, the new academy headquarters building was constructed on the site of present day Taylor Hall. Meant to house the Superintendent and other academy leadership and staff, this building was too small and inadequate shortly after construction and it was demolished shortly after 1900 to make way for the construction of Taylor Hall. A cadet hospital was constructed in 1884 on the site of present day Lee Barracks. In 1923, a new wing of the hospital was built, which now houses the Office of Admissions. The main hospital building was demolished in 1960 to make way for Lee Barracks. In the late 1880s Richard Morris Hunt

Richard Morris Hunt

Richard Morris Hunt was an American architect of the nineteenth century and a preeminent figure in the history of American architecture...

was contracted to design several buildings. The first was a gymnasium, begun in 1891 in an Romanesque Revival

Romanesque Revival architecture

Romanesque Revival is a style of building employed beginning in the mid 19th century inspired by the 11th and 12th century Romanesque architecture...

design with two large towers flanking a grand arched entrance. The gymnasium was opened in 1893 and used until the early 1920s, when it was demolished to make way for the new mess hall, Washington Hall.

Structures from the 19th Century still in use in the academic area

The Superintendent's quarters (1820) and the Commandant's quarters (1821) were constructed on the end of Jefferson Place near the intersection with Washington Road. During the 1800s, Jefferson Road extended further south through what is now North Area and a row of officers' quarters once lined the west side of the road south of the Superintendent's quarters, but those structures were all demolished to make room for the old North Barracks. The next oldest structures on post are the three sets of large duplex officers' quarters just off the northwest edge of the plain. These quarters (c1828), have been expanded over the years and have come to be known as Professor's Row, as they traditionally house the heads of the academic departments. The Dean's quarters were constructed in 1856 between the commandant's quarters and professor's row. A complex of structures known as the "Ordinance Compound" was completed between 1837 and 1840. It consisted of three stone buildings with two towers encircled by a wall. The building that stands in the center of the compound, now the First Class Cadet's social club, was added in 1880. The second academic building was demolished in 1891 and replaced on the same location by what was then known as the West Academic Building. This Richard Morris Hunt

Richard Morris Hunt

Richard Morris Hunt was an American architect of the nineteenth century and a preeminent figure in the history of American architecture...

designed structure took four years to complete and served as the main academic hall until 1950, when it was converted into a barracks and renamed Pershing Barracks. The large house on the end of Professor's Row, known today as the "Beat Navy House" due to the "Beat Navy Sign" that hangs on its front porch, was built in 1875 and has been used as multiple officer's quarters since its construction. In 1894, McKim, Mead, and White

McKim, Mead, and White

McKim, Mead & White was a prominent American architectural firm at the turn of the twentieth century and in the history of American architecture. The firm's founding partners were Charles Follen McKim , William Rutherford Mead and Stanford White...

designed and began construction on the new memorial hall, later named Cullum Hall after General George W. Cullum, who started the Cullum Register of Graduates and donated the funds for the structure. Completed in 1898, Cullum Hall broke several architectural traditions. First its classical

Neoclassical architecture

Neoclassical architecture was an architectural style produced by the neoclassical movement that began in the mid-18th century, manifested both in its details as a reaction against the Rococo style of naturalistic ornament, and in its architectural formulas as an outgrowth of some classicizing...

design and white marble construction clashed with the gray granite Gothic design of the other buildings on the plain. Second, it obstructed the eastern view of the Hudson river. Started in 1900 and completed in 1903, the West Point Officer's Club also was of neo-classical design. However, budget cuts and the high cost of white marble resulted in the selection of an off-color white brick, a design that failed to inspire the imagination of the public at large and the academy leadership. These two structures are the only neo-classical designs left in the cadet area now that the old cadet chapel is moved to the cemetery.

1903 Design competition

After the turn of the century, as West Point approached its centennial, it became apparent that the campus was in need of a facilities overhaul and was lacking a clear design plan and architectural style. A major competition was held to design a major renovation of the campus, to include building a new cadet barracks (North Barracks, since demolished), chapel (the Cadet Chapel), academic building (Bartlett Hall), post headquarters (Taylor Hall), bachelor's officer quarters (Lincoln Hall), riding hall (Thayer Hall), and hotel (later the Thayer Hotel). In addition to all the construction, the winning bid had to cost less than $5,000,000. After a lengthy competition, the firm of Cram, Goodhue, & Furgeson (CGF) was selected to overhaul the academy's facilities. Nearly all of their works still stand, and their designs have influenced all other works in the cadet area since.

The first buildings completed by CGF was the heating plant and riding hall, completed along the cliffs of the Hudson in 1909. The massive riding hall rises from the cliffs along the river to the level of the Plain. This structure served as the home of equestrian instruction until riding was removed from the curriculum during World War II. In 1958, the hall's interior was completely renovated and converted into an academic hall, renamed Thayer Hall in honor of Sylvanus Thayer. Now containing four interior floors and a large auditorium, it is considered the main academic hall on campus. In 1910, CGF completed construction of the new Headquarters building, later named Taylor Hall in honor of Maxwell Taylor. Hayes Gymnasium

Hayes Gymnasium

Hayes Gymnasium , completed in 1910, is the oldest section of the current Arvin Cadet Physical Development Center at the United States Military Academy...

was also constructed by CGF and completed in 1910, replacing the Richard Morris Hunt-designed gymnasium that would be demolished to make way for the new mess hall in 1920. The "crown jewel" of CGF's project was unquestionably the new West Point Cadet Chapel

West Point Cadet Chapel

The Cadet Chapel at the United States Military Academy is a place of Protestant denomination worship for many members of the United States Corps of Cadets. The chapel is a classic example of gothic revival architecture, with its cross-shaped floor plan, soaring arches, and ornate stone carvings...

, set high on the hillside above the cadet area, and completed in 1910. Upon completion of the Cadet Chapel, the Old Cadet Chapel

Old Cadet Chapel (West Point)

The Old Cadet Chapel at the United States Military Academy is a church and location of funeral and memorial services. It is the oldest chapel at West Point, having originally been built in 1836. The chapel was originally located in the cadet area near present-day Grant Hall, but was deconstructed...

was deconstructed and moved to the cemetery

West Point Cemetery

West Point Cemetery is a historic cemetery on the grounds of the United States Military Academy in West Point, New York. It overlooks the Hudson River, and served as a burial ground for American Revolutionary War soldiers and early West Point inhabitants long before 1817 when it was officially...

in 1911. The granite used for the construction of the Cadet Chapel was quarried from the hillside behind Hayes gymnasium, practically at the construction site. In 1914, CGF completed Bartlett Hall as one of the main academic buildings. The dirt and debris from the construction of Bartlett Hall was used to fill in "execution hollow", a large depression located on the Plain

The Plain (West Point)

near Trophy Point

Trophy Point

. Two of CGF's buildings that have not stood the test of time were the North Barracks, which were later demolished to make way for the current MacArthur Barracks, and the cadet guardhouse, located in North Area and later demolished to make way for Scott Barracks.

Gradual expansion, 1920-1960

After the 1903 design competition, pace of new construction at the academy slowed, but there were continual updates. Started in 1925 and completed by 1929, Washington Hall, named in honor of George Washington, became the new cadet mess hall. Designed by Arnold Brunner

Arnold Brunner

Arnold William Brunner was an American architect who was born and died in New York City. Brunner was educated in New York and in Manchester, England. He attended Massachusetts Institute of Technology, where he studied under William R. Ware. Early in his career, he worked in the architectural...

, Washington hall can rightfully be considered the "center" of the cadet academic area. Due to large increase in the size of the Corps of Cadets, more barracks space was needed in the early 1930s. In 1931, Grant Hall Grant Barracks was completed on the site of the old cadet mess hall. In 1937, Paul P. Cret

Paul Philippe Cret

Paul Philippe Cret was a French-American architect and industrial designer. For more than thirty years, he headed the Department of Architecture at the University of Pennsylvania.- Biography :...

completed construction on Scott Barracks in North Area. Cret also oversaw an expansion of Bartlett Hall in 1938.

Major expansion, 1960-present

The 100% increase in the size of the Corps of Cadets in the early 1960s led to rapid expansion of facilities at the expense of preserving the historic structures on post. The central barracks, which had stood since 1851, were torn down, save one segment preserved as Nininger Hall, in order to make way for the construction of Bradley and Eisenhower Barracks between 1965 and 1972. Washington Hall was doubled in size and physically connected to Eisenhower and MacArthur Barracks, which had replaced the old North barracks. In 1969 another wing, "Mac Short", was added to MacArthur barracks. New barracks were also constructed in south area, with Lee Barracks and Sherman Barracks being constructed in the mid 1960s.
The final major construction of the twentieth century in the academic area was the construction of Mahan Hall, named after Dennis Hart Mahan

Dennis Hart Mahan

Dennis Hart Mahan was a noted American military theorist and professor at the United States Military Academy at West Point from 1824-1871. He was the father of American naval historian and theorist Rear Admiral Alfred Thayer Mahan...

. Mahan Hall is home to the academy's Department of Civil & Mechanical Engineering and Department of Systems Engineering. It contains nine levels, over 75 classrooms and laboratories, and holds a 600 feet (182.9 m) lecture hall, Arnold Auditorium, in its south wing. The west entrance to Mahan Hall formerly was graced by two enormous English Elm

English Elm

Ulmus procera Salisb., the English, Common, or more lately Atinian, Elm was, before the advent of Dutch elm disease, one of the largest and fastest-growing deciduous trees in Europe...

trees that were 180 years old when they succumbed to Dutch Elm Disease

Dutch elm disease

Dutch elm disease is a disease caused by a member of the sac fungi category, affecting elm trees which is spread by the elm bark beetle. Although believed to be originally native to Asia, the disease has been accidentally introduced into America and Europe, where it has devastated native...

in 2004 and had to be removed. The most recent major construction in the academic area was the construction of the Jefferson Hall Library, which opened in 2008 on the south edge of the plain.

Current academic halls

Arvin Cadet Physical Development Center (CPDC): Named after former First Captain Carl Arvin, who died in Vietnam
Vietnam
Vietnam – sometimes spelled Viet Nam , officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam – is the easternmost country on the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia. It is bordered by China to the north, Laos to the northwest, Cambodia to the southwest, and the South China Sea –...

, the gymnasium complex houses the Department of Physical Education (DPE). The original core of Arvin CPDC is Hayes Gymnasium
Hayes Gymnasium
Hayes Gymnasium , completed in 1910, is the oldest section of the current Arvin Cadet Physical Development Center at the United States Military Academy...

, originally constructed in 1910. The old Arvin gym entrance was built onto it in 1934. In 1999, renovation construction tore down over half of the gym. The 1910 and 1934 sections were preserved with the new CPDC opening in 2004. The new CPDC now houses a Center for Physical Development Excellence (CPDC), offices and classrooms for DPE, new basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...

, racquetball
Racquetball
For other sports often called "paddleball", see Paddleball .Racquetball is a racquet sport played with a hollow rubber ball in an indoor or outdoor court...

, rock climbing
Rock climbing
Rock climbing also lightly called 'The Gravity Game', is a sport in which participants climb up, down or across natural rock formations or artificial rock walls. The goal is to reach the summit of a formation or the endpoint of a pre-defined route without falling...

, survival swimming, boxing
Boxing
Boxing, also called pugilism, is a combat sport in which two people fight each other using their fists. Boxing is supervised by a referee over a series of between one to three minute intervals called rounds...

& combatives
Combatives
Combatives is a United States Army term for hand-to-hand combat training and techniques.-History:Militaries have long taught unarmed combat, both as physical conditioning and as a supplement to armed combat. Among the samurai of Japan, such combatives were known as Bujutsu...

, and physical therapy
Physical therapy
Physical therapy , often abbreviated PT, is a health care profession. Physical therapy is concerned with identifying and maximizing quality of life and movement potential within the spheres of promotion, prevention, diagnosis, treatment/intervention,and rehabilitation...

facilities.
Bartlett Hall: Home to the Departments of Chemistry
Chemistry
Chemistry is the science of matter, especially its chemical reactions, but also its composition, structure and properties. Chemistry is concerned with atoms and their interactions with other atoms, and particularly with the properties of chemical bonds....

and Physics
Physics
Physics is a natural science that involves the study of matter and its motion through spacetime, along with related concepts such as energy and force. More broadly, it is the general analysis of nature, conducted in order to understand how the universe behaves.Physics is one of the oldest academic...

, it was originally constructed in 1913 and expanded in 1937.
Hayes Gymnasium – see Arvin Cadet Physical Development Center (above)
Jefferson Hall: Named after former President Thomas Jefferson
Thomas Jefferson
Thomas Jefferson was the principal author of the United States Declaration of Independence and the Statute of Virginia for Religious Freedom , the third President of the United States and founder of the University of Virginia...

, whose statue stands in the rotunda
Rotunda (architecture)
A rotunda is any building with a circular ground plan, sometimes covered by a dome. It can also refer to a round room within a building . The Pantheon in Rome is a famous rotunda. A Band Rotunda is a circular bandstand, usually with a dome...

. The new library learning center, which opened in 2008, is home to the Center for Teaching Excellence (CTE) and the Alexander Haig
Alexander Haig
Alexander Meigs Haig, Jr. was a United States Army general who served as the United States Secretary of State under President Ronald Reagan and White House Chief of Staff under Presidents Richard Nixon and Gerald Ford...

Room.
Lincoln Hall: Formerly the Bachelor Officer's Quarters, it was renovated in 1987 and now houses the Departments of English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...

and Social Sciences
Social sciences
Social science is the field of study concerned with society. "Social science" is commonly used as an umbrella term to refer to a plurality of fields outside of the natural sciences usually exclusive of the administrative or managerial sciences...

.
Old Cadet Library: Completed in 1964 and attached to Bartlett Hall, it served the Corps for over 40 years until the opening of Jefferson Hall in 2008.
Thayer
Sylvanus Thayer
Colonel and Brevet Brigadier General Sylvanus Thayer also known as "the Father of West Point" was an early superintendent of the United States Military Academy at West Point and an early advocate of engineering education in the United States.-Biography:Thayer was born in Braintree, Massachusetts,...

Hall: Built in 1911 and formerly a riding hall where the cadets were taught horsemanship, in 1958 it was converted into an academic hall containing over 100 classrooms. The cadet bookstore is housed on the fourth floor and there is a large lecture hall, Robinson Auditorium in the south end of the building. The first two floors of Thayer Hall are home to the Departments of History, Mathematics, and Electrical Engineering and Computer Science (EECS).
Washington Hall: Named for President
President of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....

George Washington
George Washington
George Washington was the dominant military and political leader of the new United States of America from 1775 to 1799. He led the American victory over Great Britain in the American Revolutionary War as commander-in-chief of the Continental Army from 1775 to 1783, and presided over the writing of...

, it is the home of the Cadet Mess Hall. The upper floors of Washington Hall are home to the Department of Military Instruction (DMI), the Department of Foreign Languages (DFL), the Department of Geography
Geography
Geography is the science that studies the lands, features, inhabitants, and phenomena of Earth. A literal translation would be "to describe or write about the Earth". The first person to use the word "geography" was Eratosthenes...

& Environmental Engineering
Environmental engineering
Environmental engineering is the application of science and engineering principles to improve the natural environment , to provide healthy water, air, and land for human habitation and for other organisms, and to remediate polluted sites...

(G&ENE), and the Office of the Commandant. Washington Hall was first constructed in 1929. It was doubled in size in 1964 when the Corps expanded to 4,400 cadets.

Chapels

The military chapel has played an major role in the history of the academy. In fact, attendance at weekly chapel services was mandatory until the early 1970s. The first chapel, now known as the "Old Cadet Chapel" was first constructed in 1836. It stood on the site now occupied by Bartlett Hall for 74 years until it was torn down in 1910 upon completion of the Cadet Chapel and moved to its current location in the cemetery

West Point Cemetery

Building	Constructed	Description
Protestant Chapel West Point Cadet Chapel The Cadet Chapel at the United States Military Academy is a place of Protestant denomination worship for many members of the United States Corps of Cadets. The chapel is a classic example of gothic revival architecture, with its cross-shaped floor plan, soaring arches, and ornate stone carvings...	1910	Constructed in 1910 to replace the original Cadet Chapel built in 1836, the main Cadet Chapel conducts Protestant services and dominates the backdrop of the Plain The Plain (West Point) The Plain is the parade field at the United States Military Academy at West Point, New York. The flat terrain of the Plain is in contrast to the varied and hilly terrain of the remainder of the campus. The Plain rises approximately above the Hudson River and has been the site of the longest... .
Catholic Chapel Chapel of the Most Holy Trinity (West Point) The Chapel of the Most Holy Trinity at the United States Military Academy is a Catholic church and place of worship for many members of the United States Military Academy Corps of Cadets...	1899	On the corner of Stoney Lonesome and Washington roads, the picturesque chapel was constructed in 1900, and expanded and re-dedicated in 1933.
Jewish Chapel West Point Jewish Chapel The Jewish Chapel at the United States Military Academy is a synagogue and chapel for the worship of Jewish cadets, faculty, and members of the West Point community...	1984	Built in 1984 on Merritt Road, this chapel was the culmination of 20 years of effort of the private West Point Jewish Chapel Fund.
Old Cadet Chapel Old Cadet Chapel (West Point) The Old Cadet Chapel at the United States Military Academy is a church and location of funeral and memorial services. It is the oldest chapel at West Point, having originally been built in 1836. The chapel was originally located in the cadet area near present-day Grant Hall, but was deconstructed...	1836	Originally completed in the cadet central area in 1836, graduates paid for the deconstruction and movement of the building in 1911 to the West Point cemetery upon completion of the current Cadet Chapel. The building remains in use and is frequently the site of funerals and memorial services.

Barracks

Scott Barracks: Named after General
General
A general officer is an officer of high military rank, usually in the army, and in some nations, the air force. The term is widely used by many nations of the world, and when a country uses a different term, there is an equivalent title given....

Winfield Scott
Winfield Scott
Winfield Scott was a United States Army general, and unsuccessful presidential candidate of the Whig Party in 1852....

and built in 1938, it is home to cadets from the Fourth Regiment.
Lee Barracks: Home to cadets from the First Regiment, it was built in 1962, and is named after General Robert E. Lee
Robert E. Lee
Robert Edward Lee was a career military officer who is best known for having commanded the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia in the American Civil War....

, it also houses the cadet barber shop
Barber
A barber is someone whose occupation is to cut any type of hair, and to shave or trim the beards of men. The place of work of a barber is generally called a barbershop....

in its basement.
Sherman Barracks: Also home to cadets from First Regiment, it is named after General William Tecumseh Sherman
William Tecumseh Sherman
William Tecumseh Sherman was an American soldier, businessman, educator and author. He served as a General in the Union Army during the American Civil War , for which he received recognition for his outstanding command of military strategy as well as criticism for the harshness of the "scorched...

and also built in 1962.
Grant Barracks: Formerly called "Old South Barracks", this building is named after General Ulysses S. Grant
Ulysses S. Grant
Ulysses S. Grant was the 18th President of the United States as well as military commander during the Civil War and post-war Reconstruction periods. Under Grant's command, the Union Army defeated the Confederate military and ended the Confederate States of America...

. The east side of these barracks is connected to Grant Hall, the former Cadet Mess Hall built in 1852 and used to feed the Corps of Cadets until 1923. The barracks portion, built in 1931, it the oldest cadet barracks still in use, and is home to cadets from the 1st Regiment.
Bradley Barracks: Built in 1968 , Bradley barracks is home to cadets of the Second Regiment and is named after General of the Army Omar Bradley.
Eisenhower Barracks: Also built in 1968, houses cadets from Third Regiment and Cadet Brigade Staff. The barracks is named after General of the Army
General of the Army
General of the Army is a military rank used in some countries to denote a senior military leader, usually a General in command of a nation's Army. It may also be the title given to a General who commands an Army in the field....

and former President Dwight D. Eisenhower
Dwight D. Eisenhower
Dwight David "Ike" Eisenhower was the 34th President of the United States, from 1953 until 1961. He was a five-star general in the United States Army...

.
Pershing Barracks: Formerly the West Academic Building built in 1895, it was renovated in 1959 and renamed Pershing Barracks. The building is named after General of the Armies
General of the Armies
General of the Armies of the United States, or more commonly referred to as General of the Armies, is the highest possible officer rank of the United States Army.Only two soldiers have been granted the rank of General of the Armies; John J...

John J. Pershing
John J. Pershing
John Joseph "Black Jack" Pershing, GCB , was a general officer in the United States Army who led the American Expeditionary Forces in World War I...

and houses cadets from the First Regiment, Second Regiment and Cadet Brigade Staff.
MacArthur Barracks: Opened in 1972, it houses cadets from the Third and Fourth Regiments and is named after General of the Army Douglas MacArthur
Douglas MacArthur
General of the Army Douglas MacArthur was an American general and field marshal of the Philippine Army. He was a Chief of Staff of the United States Army during the 1930s and played a prominent role in the Pacific theater during World War II. He received the Medal of Honor for his service in the...

.

Historical quarters

Building	Constructed	Description
Quarters #100, (Superintendent)	1820	Built during the tenure of Sylvanus Thayer, the "Supe's" quarters is the second oldest residence on post, with only the Commandant's quarters being older. A mixture of Georgian and Federal architecture, it is both a private residence and a public landmark. Tours are available during certain times of the year.
Quarters #101, (Commandant)	1821	The oldest quarters on post, built two years before the Superintendent's quarters, this three story Georgian colonial is home to the Commandant of Cadets.
Dean's Quarters	1852	The quarters of West Point's Dean, sits on the corner of Washington Road and Jefferson Place, this house has elements of Gothic, Victorian, & Tudor architecture. It is somewhat unique in its "look", being one of only two quarters on post remaining in this style.

Other historic buildings

Taylor Hall: Originally called the "Administration Building", it was built by the firm Cram, Goodhue, and Furgeson in 1910. Now named after Maxwell Taylor, it is home to the Office of the Superintendent and the Office of the Dean. This class example of "collegiate gothic" architecture sits overlooking the Hudson river to the east. With its 180 feet (54.9 m) tower, it is the tallest all-stone masonry building in the world.
Cullum Hall: A large social hall containing a dance floor and several receiving rooms for formal occasions. The lower levels contain the academy's photo studio. Academy tradition states that Plebes must know that there are "340 Lights in Cullum Hall". Cullum hall sits directly across the road from Doubleday field. The New York Yankees
New York Yankees
The New York Yankees are a professional baseball team based in the The Bronx, New York. They compete in Major League Baseball in the American League's East Division...

occasionally played exhibition games there in the 1920s, and cadet legend states that Babe Ruth once hit a home run
Home run
In baseball, a home run is scored when the ball is hit in such a way that the batter is able to reach home safely in one play without any errors being committed by the defensive team in the process...

off the roof of Cullum Hall, a distance of over 500 feet (152.4 m). This legend is unlikely given that Ruth was left-handed and Cullum Hall sits beyond the left field fence, which would have made Ruth's home run to the opposite field of his power side.
West Point Club: Originally built in 1902 as the Officer's Club and later expanded in 1963 due to a generous gift by the wife of Gen. Palmer Eddy Pierce, class of 1891. The club has named the large second floor dining room the Pierce Room in their honor.
Nininger Hall: The last remaining structure from the old Central Barracks, the "1st Division" was traditionally home to the highest ranking cadet. Originally built in 1882, it now houses the Simon Center for the Professional Military Ethic (SCPME) and is named after LT Alexander R. Nininger, Jr., the first Medal of Honor
Medal of Honor
The Medal of Honor is the highest military decoration awarded by the United States government. It is bestowed by the President, in the name of Congress, upon members of the United States Armed Forces who distinguish themselves through "conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his or her...

recipient of WWII.
Superintendent's Quarters: The oldest remaining building on post, it was built in 1820, during the tenure of COL Sylvanus Thayer.

Athletic facilities

West Point is home to many historic as well as modern athletic facilities:

Christl Arena
Christl Arena
Christl Arena is a 5,043-seat, multi-purpose arena in West Point, New York. It was built in 1985 as part of the Major Donald W. Holleder Center, which also houses Tate Rink. It is home to the United States Military Academy's Army Black Knights men's and women's basketball teams. It was named after...

(part of the Holleder Center)
Gillis Field House
Gillis Field House
Gillis Field House is a 3,500-seat, multi-purpose arena in West Point, New York. It was home to the United States Military Academy's Army Black Knights men's basketball team until Christl Arena opened in 1985....

: Built prior to WWII and named after William G. Gillis, this facility houses the track and field program and the women's volleyball practice facilities.
Holleder Center (Major Donald W. Holleder Center athletic complex): Next door to Michie Stadium, and built in 1985, it houses the basketball and hockey facilities. It is named after Donald W. Holleder, class of 56, who died in action in Vietnam.
Johnson Stadium at Doubleday Field
Johnson Stadium at Doubleday Field
Johnson Stadium at Doubleday Field is located on the campus of the United States Military Academy, at West Point, New York, and is the home of the Army Black Knights baseball team.-History:...
Michie Stadium
Michie Stadium
Michie Stadium is an outdoor football stadium located on the campus of the U.S. Military Academy in West Point, New York. It is the home field for the Army Black Knights. It opened in 1924 and has a current seating capacity of 38,000....

: Originally built in 1924 and named after Dennis Michie
Dennis Michie
-External links:...

, captain and coach of the first Army football team, it has been expanded many times over the years. The most recent addition saw the building of an expansive new training facility and offices for the football program.
Shea Stadium: Named after Medal of Honor recipient Richard Shea in 1958, this recently renovated outdoor track facility is home to the track and field program and the sprint football team.
Tate Rink
Tate Rink
Tate Rink is a 2,648-seat hockey rink in West Point, New York. It is home to the United States Military Academy Black Knights men's ice hockey team. It was built in as part of the Major Donald W. Holleder Center athletic complex, which also includes Christl Arena. Army's first game in the arena...

(part of the Holleder Center)
Anderson Rugby Complex: home of Army's team
Clinton Field: Named after Revolutionary War hero General James Clinton, it is home to the men's and women's soccer teams.
Softball Complex: Home to Army Softball. The field dimensions are 200 feet down the lines and 210 feet to center field. Construction was completed in 2002.

Cemetery

The cemetery is situated about 3/4 of a mile north of the main academic area. Formally designated a military cemetery in 1816, it was previously known locally as "German Flats". The cemetery is the final resting place of many notable military officers and is now the location of the Old Cadet Chapel

Old Cadet Chapel (West Point)

Monuments

West Point is home to numerous monuments of famous graduates and other military heroes and patriots. Some of the monuments include:

Eisenhower Monument
Eisenhower Monument (West Point)
The Eisenhower Monument at the United States Military Academy is a monument to former General of the Army and the 34th President of the United States, Dwight D...

. This 9 feet (2.7 m) statue of former General of the Army and the 34th President of the United States was dedicated in 1983. Designed by Robert L. Dean, class of 1953, it sits atop a pedestal of red granite and looks out over the Plain to the North.
Kosciuszko's Monument
Kosciuszko's Monument (West Point)
Kosciuszko's Monument is a pedestal and statue of Polish General Tadeusz Kosciuszko at the United States Military Academy at West Point, New York. Kosciuszko designed the defenses of the West Point garrison from 1778–1780 during the height of the Revolutionary War, when George Washington...

. Dedicated in 1828 and desisigned by John Latrobe, the monument was originally only the base and the column. The statue was added in 1913.
MacArthur Monument
MacArthur Monument (West Point)
The Douglas MacArthur Monument at the United States Military Academy at West Point commemorates the Medal of Honor-winning former Superintendent and General of the Army Douglas MacArthur. Designed by Walker Hancock, it was dedicated by MacArthur's widow Jean MacArthur in 1969...

. This monument commemorates the Medal of Honor
Medal of Honor
The Medal of Honor is the highest military decoration awarded by the United States government. It is bestowed by the President, in the name of Congress, upon members of the United States Armed Forces who distinguish themselves through "conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his or her...

-winning former Superintendent and General of the Army
General of the Army
General of the Army is a military rank used in some countries to denote a senior military leader, usually a General in command of a nation's Army. It may also be the title given to a General who commands an Army in the field....

Douglas MacArthur
Douglas MacArthur
General of the Army Douglas MacArthur was an American general and field marshal of the Philippine Army. He was a Chief of Staff of the United States Army during the 1930s and played a prominent role in the Pacific theater during World War II. He received the Medal of Honor for his service in the...

. Situated on the upper western corner of the Plain
The Plain (West Point)
The Plain is the parade field at the United States Military Academy at West Point, New York. The flat terrain of the Plain is in contrast to the varied and hilly terrain of the remainder of the campus. The Plain rises approximately above the Hudson River and has been the site of the longest...

next to the north entrance to MacArthur Barracks, the monument consists of a statue of the general surrounded by angled granite walls that bear inscription excerpts from his 1962 Thayer Award address to the Corps of Cadets.
Sedgwick Monument
Sedgwick Monument (West Point)
Sedgwick Monument is a memorial to Union General John Sedgwick at West Point. "Uncle John" Sedgwick was born in Cornwall, Connecticut, 67 miles northeast of West Point, New York...

. Erected by former members of his command, this monument commemorates former Union General John Sedgwick
John Sedgwick
John Sedgwick was a teacher, a career military officer, and a Union Army general in the American Civil War. He was the highest ranking Union casualty in the Civil War, killed by a sniper at the Battle of Spotsylvania Court House.-Early life:Sedgwick was born in the Litchfield Hills town of...

and was dedicated 21 Oct 1868. The spurs of the statue freely rotate and legend states that if a cadet is in danger of failing a class, they should go to the monument in full dress uniform at midnight before the final exam. If they spin the spurs at midnight, they will pass the class.
Thayer Monument
Thayer Monument
Thayer Monument is a white granite monument and statue of Sylvanus Thayer at the United States Military Academy, designed by C. Conrad and first unveiled in June 1883. Thayer is known as the "Father of the Military Academy" for the profound and lasting impact of his superintendency during the...

. Commemorating the "Father of the Military Academy", this monument has known several locations during the academy's history. It currently sits at the northwest corner of the Plain adjacent to the Beat Navy Tunnel. The monument is oriented to the south, overlooking the Plain and the central cadet area. Thayer's statue is the sight of numerous memorials throughout the year as classes return for their reunions. Tradition is for the oldest living graduate of those returning classes to lay a wreath at the foot of the memorial before the alumni review for that weekend.
Washington Monument
Washington Monument (West Point)
The Washington Monument at West Point is an equestrian monument to George Washington at the United States Military Academy at West Point, New York. The bronze replica of a sculpture that was originally designed by Henry Kirke Brown and erected in Union Square, New York City, in 1856— the first...

. Dedicated in 1916, this large statue of George Washington was moved to its current location in front of Washington Hall in 1971 when the cadet mess hall expansion was completed.

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