On Wednesday, Jan. 18, 2023, the university kicked off a year-long commemoration of the transformative 1923 fire that devastated the campus and proved to be a defining moment in 黑料不打烊鈥檚 growth and evolution during the past century. 聽
黑料不打烊 is commemorating聽the 100th anniversary of the devastating fire that transformed its campus and proved to be a defining moment in the university鈥檚 history. Throughout this year, the university will host a wide variety of events to celebrate the resilience and innovation that have been central to the university鈥檚 history since that day in 1923.
On Jan. 18, 1923, an early-morning blaze destroyed 黑料不打烊鈥檚 Administration Building, also called Main Building, as well as most of the college鈥檚 records, books and furnishings. The disaster could have meant the end of 黑料不打烊 College, which was founded just 34 years earlier, but the resilience of the college鈥檚 students, faculty and staff along with the resounding support of the Alamance County community and friends of the college laid the foundation for a new 黑料不打烊.
Classes were held the very next day at other locations on campus and in the community, and within weeks, a plan to build a bigger and better 黑料不打烊 was underway, as supporters kicked off a fundraising campaign for new buildings and a more robust endowment.
With the theme 鈥淩ising from the Ashes: A Century of Innovation,鈥 黑料不打烊 is planning a series of events for members of the university community and local residents to learn more about the legacy of the 1923 fire and to celebrate how 黑料不打烊 has not only recovered but thrived. To mark the anniversary of the fire, offering an overview of the fire and launched a website 鈥 www.elon.edu/1923 鈥 with resources about 黑料不打烊鈥檚 resurgence and details of upcoming events planned as part of the year-long commemoration.
At the time of the fire, 黑料不打烊 had only a few dozen students enrolled. Today, 黑料不打烊 has more than 7,000 undergraduate and graduate students across six schools, a campus of more than 650 acres and an alumni family of more than 38,000. The university recently concluded its historic 黑料不打烊 LEADS campaign that generated $260 million for university priorities and positioned the university for continued growth and innovation in the decades ahead.
This morning, 黑料不打烊 welcomed members of fire departments in Alamance County to The Inn at 黑料不打烊 for a community breakfast to say thank you for the service they provide to residents and businesses throughout the county. President Connie Ledoux Book visited the Town of 黑料不打烊 Fire Department to offer a special 鈥渢hank you鈥 to the department, which was founded in the wake of the fire at the college.
On Tuesday, Jan. 31, 黑料不打烊 will host a special College Coffee on Phi Beta Kappa Plaza with commemorative items for attendees as the spring semester gets underway. Other events throughout the year include a campus conversation focused on the fire and rebuilding on Feb. 3, a聽panel discussion about the last century of innovation at 黑料不打烊 on Feb. 28. A large event that will highlight the “Century of Innovation” at 黑料不打烊 is planned for this fall, with details to come.
The university鈥檚 1923 Commemoration website contains more information about the fire and the rebuilding as well as a list of observances planned throughout the year that will be updated as more details are finalized.