LOCATION 7: HISTORICAL MARKER OF WESTERN THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY

Orphan's House

The seminary buildings are located on two sites of historical significance to the college. The first building on this general site was the Orphans' House which was built in 1849 to house the children who lost their parents in the early, difficult years of the Holland Colony. However, various families took in the orphans and the building was never used for the purpose for which it had been built. When the Pioneer School (the forerunner of the Holland Academy and college) got underway in 1851, the classes were held in this building. When the building was no longer used by the academy after Van Vleck Hall was built, it became the printing house from 1863 to 1879 and then was used for storage. The building burned on March 26, 1889.

Zwemer House and Semelink Hall

Just west of the Orphans' House, Adrian Zwemer built a home for his family in 1857 while he was attending the academy and preparing for the ministry. After 1866, the house was used for theology classes for a few years until the Oggel House became available for that purpose. In 1871, Professor Charles Scott, who later became the second president of Hope College, was given the use of the house because his own home was burned in the fire of 1871 which destroyed so much of the city. For a time the house was called "Japanese Hall" because it housed the first Japanese students who were enrolled at the college. In 1895, Semelink Hall was built on this site, and Beardslee Library was constructed to the west of it in 1913. East of old Semelink Hall, Zwemer Hall, named in honor of Professor James Zwemer of Western Theological Seminary, was constructed in 1912 and removed in 1979 to make way for the Cook Theological Center of Western Theological Seminary.

(Photo: Semelink Hall. Western Seminary Photo.)

Paul G. Fried Center for International Education

Dr. and Mrs. Benjamin De Vries, a local dentist and his wife, constructed this lovely home in 1910, according to Ruth Keppel, a niece of Dr. De Vries and a former local historian. The Alumni Association occupied the home for several years, followed by the Department of Education. In 1988 the house became the headquarters of the office of International Education. On September 22, 1990, the center was named in honor of Dr. Paul G. Fried, professor emeritus of history and founder of the international education program and the Vienna Summer School.

Nykerk Hall of Music

Constructed in 1956 at a cost of $200,000, Nykerk Hall of Music was named in honor of the revered teacher, John B. Nykerk, professor of English and founder of the music department about 1893. The auditorium is named in honor of Professor W. Curtis Snow, a former college organist. In 1970, a large addition was constructed and the new auditorium in it was named in honor of Dr. Wynand Wichers, president of Hope College from 1931 to 1945.

(Photo: Groundbreaking for Nykerk Hall. L-R: Robert Ritsema, Jantina Holleman, Jay Weener, Wynand Wichers, Calvin VanderWerf, Robert Cavanaugh, and Stuart Post.)

Scott, Cosmopolitan, Lichty, Wyckoff Halls

Originally known as the Fraternity Complex, these buildings house many Hope students. They were built to serve as principal housing for several campus chartered fraternities and sororities. Located between Western Seminary's Cook Research Center and Hope's Kollen Hall, the area is a short walk to most any location on campus.

(Photo: the Fraternity Complex under construction.)

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