During our unofficial tour of Harvard, we decided to go inside Memorial Hall/Sanders Theater just because it looked interesting. It turns out that it's one of the most historical buildings on campus. Inside, it was gorgeous, and we were sure that it must have served as a church in some lifetime. However, after overhearing a tour guide, we learned otherwise.

Memorial Hall came about just after the Civil War ended - The President of Harvard wanted to build a memorial to the Harvard graduates who had fallen defending the Union during the war. After much delibertation, it was decided that a building would be built that would also house a theater. Most aspects of the building were completed by 1878. The windows of the great hall were later filled with stained glass given by the alumni classes. Memorial Hall houses more stained glass than any building in the US that is not a church.

Inside the central room of the Hall, plaques list the names and places of death of 136 Harvard graduates who died in the Civil War, including Colonel Robert G. Shaw, whose heroics are relived by Matthew Broderick in the movie "Glory." The 137th man is not listed: he died in the war 2 years shy of graduation.

In addtion to the names, Memorial Hall has been used for many things over the years. Graduations were held in the hall until 1911. Sanders Theater is still the largest auditorium at the University, and has seen speakers over the years ranging from Bill Clinton to Martin Luther King, Jr. to comedic acts. The Boston Symphony also played there for a number of years.

Today, Sanders Theater continues to be used for numerous musical, theatrical, and ceremonious events. On the other end of the Hall is the three storied underclassmen commons area consisting of eateries, computer services, and studying areas.

Memorial Hall is a fascinating building rich in history. I found it very interesting that it is the student cafeteria as well - Only at Harvard, I guess!