Many years ago, when Starr didn't have the look above but the look on the right, on Christmas Eve 1864 the building burnt down leaving only its walls still erect.

Having in view the schools policy about fire, I thought it would be interesting if I presented some facts about this incident. Not only it was a cross point for the struggling college, that it strenghtened the relationship between the college and the town, but also it brough tougheter some of the most representative people at Middlebury as faculty, staff or students. Please click on the picture on the right to find out more about the fire.

To understand better the event I''m about to present, I will first put the year 1964 in context. The Starr Hall fire happened under the presidency of Benjamin Labaree when another illustrious figure, future president Ezra Brainerd, studied at Middlebury College. Based mostly on Ezra Brainerd's future writings (articles and adresses at the college) and on some other student's jurnals, I will try to depict the life at Middlebury around 1864 and describe the fire, it's consequences and it's finality.

The picture on the right shows how Middlebury College looked in the 1960's. Please click on it to find out more about the life at Middlebury in that period.