A group of Kenyon College alumni and preservation advocates are urging the college's leadership to reconsider plans to demolish Sunset Cottage, a historic building on the Gambier, Ohio campus. The coalition is calling on President Julie Kornfeld and the Board of Trustees to honor a previous commitment to preserve the 1856 structure, which has significant historical and cultural value.
Sunset Cottage was built by Francis Wharton, Kenyon’s first English professor, and served as the home of the English Department from 1978 until 2018. It is one of the few remaining pre-Civil War buildings on campus. Alumni argue that demolishing it would break a promise made by the college and damage its reputation.
Brian Berg, an alumnus and preservation advocate, said: "Reneging on a public promise to preserve Sunset Cottage is more than a breach of trust—it’s a betrayal of Kenyon’s values." He added that such actions could harm donor confidence.
The coalition proposes four immediate actions for Kenyon College: pausing demolition plans, hiring an independent architecture firm to explore reuse options, engaging in transparent consultations with stakeholders, and withholding donations until a credible preservation process is in place.
Pulitzer Prize-winning architectural critic Paul Goldberger supports preserving historic buildings as essential to institutional integrity. In contrast, Roger Wakeman, Kenyon's Chief Operating Officer, cited maintenance costs and accessibility issues as reasons for demolition. Alumni criticized his comments as dismissive.
Sunset Cottage has played a crucial role in shaping Kenyon's literary identity. The college has produced notable writers such as Robert Lowell and John Green. The campus also hosts The Kenyon Review, an influential literary journal founded in 1939.
Berg emphasized that preserving Sunset Cottage tests the institution's integrity: "Kenyon’s leadership must decide whether it will protect the legacy that shaped generations of students or bulldoze both history and trust."
The Sunset Preservation Coalition consists of alumni, faculty, and friends dedicated to preserving Kenyon College's historic architecture and ensuring transparency in planning decisions.
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