Venable Hall

Venable Hall is a four-story brick building at Hampden-Sydney College featuring a symmetrical facade with detailed columns framing a central entrance. The structure displays classical architectural elements with carefully arranged windows and proportioned divisions across its front elevation.

Architect Dabney Cosby designed and constructed this building between 1824 and 1830. It stands as one of the earliest dormitories built on the college campus.

The building originally housed the Union Theological Seminary, providing education for Presbyterian ministers until its relocation to Richmond in 1898.

The interior houses student rooms and a lounge for parents and friends located in a former chapel space. The front lawn is used for campus gatherings and events.

An alumnus from 1857 purchased the building for 10,000 dollars and donated it to the college, dramatically expanding the campus. This generous gift shaped the institution's growth during the following decades.

Location: Prince Edward County

Inception: 1830

Architects: Dabney Cosby

Architectural style: Federal architecture

Floors above the ground: 4

Part of: Hampden–Sydney College

GPS coordinates: 37.24040,-78.46090

Latest update: December 14, 2025 14:25