Clarkson University to Unveil Holcroft House Historical Marker
Clarkson University will unveil a new historical marker for Holcroft House at 5:30 p.m. Friday, April 17, on the university campus. Members of the public are invited to attend the ceremony.
Holcroft House, now home to Clarkson University’s admissions offices, is one of the oldest structures on campus. The residence is believed to have been built in 1822 by John C. Clarkson and was originally known as the Mansion House.
The home remained in the Clarkson family for more than a century. Around 1850, it came into the possession of T. Streatfield Clarkson, who is credited with renovating the house in 1853 and adding its distinctive mansard roof. Following his death in 1902, the property passed to his daughter, Emilie Clarkson Moore, who later transferred ownership in 1905 to her sister, Annie Clarkson.
Annie Clarkson lived in the home until her death in 1929. The year before her passing, in 1928, she donated the house and approximately 600 acres of surrounding land to Clarkson University.
Clarkson University was founded in 1896 by Annie Clarkson’s aunts — Elizabeth, Lavinia and Frederica Clarkson — in memory of their brother, Thomas S. Clarkson III.
The installation of the historical marker was made possible through a student-led application as part of the William G. Pomeroy Foundation’s Education Program and the Clarkson Honors Program. Clarkson students conducted research on Holcroft House and compiled the necessary documentation for the marker.
The effort was led by Professors of History Stephen Casper and Alastair Kocho Williams and Clarkson undergraduate James Meredith.
“Every institution is built twice: once in timber and stone, and once in the loyalty of the people who claim it as their own. In placing this marker for Holcroft House, James helps us remember and take pride in both the Clarkson legacy and our future,” Kocho-Williams said.
The unveiling ceremony will take place outside Holcroft House on the Clarkson University campus. Community members, alumni and visitors are encouraged to attend.
