McGraw Tower
| McGraw Tower | |
|---|---|
 McGraw Tower at Cornell University | |
  Location within New York | |
| General information | |
| Type | Clock tower |
| Location | Ithaca, New York, United States |
| Coordinates | 42°26′51″N 76°29′06″W / 42.44757°N 76.48505°W |
| Completed | 1891 |
| Height | 173 feet (53 m) |
McGraw Tower is a clock tower located on the campus of Cornell University in Ithaca, New York. The tower was known as Library Tower when it was first built but was later renamed in honor of Jennie McGraw, a philanthropist and friend of Cornell University founder Ezra Cornell and Henry W. Sage, the philanthropist who funded the tower's construction.[1][2][3] Although not originally intended to function as a bell tower, it has housed the Cornell Chimes, which McGraw donated to the university in 1868, since its construction finished in 1891.[1][3] The Cornell Chimes were the first chimes housed and rung on an American college campus.[3] The chimes play music three times each day during the school year.[1]
History
McGraw Tower was designed as part of Uris Library by William Henry Miller, and construction finished in 1891.[1][2] The construction of the library and tower, then called the University Library, was funded by Henry W. Sage to be built in the memory of Jennie McGraw. Sage believed McGraw had intended to donate her estate to the construction of a library on Cornell's campus upon her death; however, this claim was contested by her husband, Cornell professor and librarian Willard Fiske.[3] The university took Sage's view, leading to years of litigation, but eventually, the Supreme Court ruled in favor of Fiske.[3]
References
- ^ a b c d "About | Cornell Chimes". chimes.cornell.edu. Retrieved 2022-06-21.
- ^ a b "A Look Into Cornell University's McGraw Clock Tower". www.ny1.com. Retrieved 2022-06-21.
- ^ a b c d e "Behind McGraw Tower chimes is story of love and legal wrangling". Cornell Chronicle. Retrieved 2022-06-21.