Founder's Hall at Girard College (Tour)

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Stephen Girard (1750-1831), the founder of Girard College is interred, in this marble sarcophagus. The first American multi-millionaire, Girard made his fortune in shipping, banking, and real estate and in his lifetime he had a great impact on both Philadelphia and the nation through his work and through specific actions such as battling the Philadelphia flu epidemic in 1793 and providing a major loan to the U.S. government during the War of 1812. After his death, his will left $6 million to establish a residential school for poor, white, orphaned boys ages 6-18. This bequest was the largest philanthropic gift in American history to that point. Girard College opened in 1848 with around 100 students and since then over 22,000 students have passed through the gates. Today Girard College still operates as a boarding school for students win grades 1 through 12, from families with financial need, headed by a single parent or guardian, and it provides full scholarships to all students.

2. A "Marble"ous Feat of Architecture

In his will, Stephen Girard left many specifications for the construction and operation of Girard College, covering everything from the materials and dimensions of the school’s buildings, the curriculum to be taught, the attire of the students, and every area in between. In terms of construction, Girard specified that the school be composed of a main school building, four outbuildings for student dormitories, and a wall surrounding the entire campus. Each building had its own specifications for the exterior and interior layout.

3. Library and Learning

When Girard College was first established in 1848, Founder’s Hall and the four surrounding dormitories were the only school buildings on the 43-acre campus. Founder’s Hall served as the original classroom building; it also originally housed the chapel and the library, which was located in this room. The wooden bookcases date from 1855; they originally featured a wood finish but were painted in the 20th century and most recently repainted in 20023 as part of a Founder's hall revlitalization project.

4. The Murals: A Life in Four Frames

These four murals, painted by American artist George Gibbs and installed in Founder’s Hall in 1929, depict significant aspects of Stephen Girard’s life and his contributions to Philadelphia. While they do not portray any specific moment in Girard’s life, each mural depicts a fictional scene, highlighting a specific cause or occupation that he was dedicated to. They are arranged roughly chronologically, beginning with the mural titled “Mariner and Merchant” and continuing counterclockwise.

5. A Ceiling Fit For a Museum

Look up! This green, ornately-designed ceiling in this room remains the oldest visible painted surface on Girard College’s entire campus. The paint treatment does not date from the opening of the building, but probably from 1892 when the room became the exhibit room of Stephen Girard’s belongings. The green oil paint background is impressively decorated with aluminum leaf stencil work and free-hand highlights. Although it was designed for a museum room, the decoration was quite up-to-date, as aluminum had only been recently become commercially available. This room has had many uses over time. It was used as a chapel from the school’s opening in 1848 until 1878, then became classrooms, before being used as a museum room, and now an event space.

6. Chapel (But No Clergy)

This room served as the original chapel for Girard College from 1848 until 1878, when a separate Gothic-style chapel building was built. Although Stephen Girard's will barred clergy from campus, he also insisted that “all the instructors and teachers in the College, shall take pains to instill into the minds of the scholars the purest principles of morality.” Christian services led by laypeople were part of school life until the late 20th century.

7. Classrooms to Social Hub

Like the other rooms on the first floor, this space was a classroom when Girard College first opened in 1848. It was initially a lecture room for natural history and physiology classes, then became the drawing classroom around 1887. After the construction of a separate high school building in 1916, this room began its new life as a social space for Girard students.

This Tour is a Walking Tour.

Founder's Hall at Girard College

Created by Girard College on January 3rd 2017, 6:17:57 pm.

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Founder’s Hall at Girard College is considered by many to be the greatest example of Greek revival architecture in the United States. This imposing structure was built over the course of fourteen years (1833-1847) after banking magnate, Stephen Girard, who died in 1831, stipulated its creation in his will. The building was designed by American architect Thomas Ustick Walter, to Girard’s exacting specifications. At the time of its completion, Founders Hall was the second most expensive building in the country, behind only the U.S. Capitol Building. The campus building initially served as the college’s main classroom building. Today, Founder's Hall is home to a museum and archive as well as event space. The building was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1969.

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Founder's Hall at Girard College

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