Cornell Sesquicentennial Grove

The Sesquicentennial Grove expresses 150 years of rich history at Cornell University through a permanent community gathering place inspired by Cornell's historic landscape and academic legacy. Located on the upper edge of Libe Slope, the Sesquicentennial Grove is an extension of the commemorative axis defined by Ezra Cornell and A.D. White statues.

Amidst a grove of elm trees, a series of stone benches appear to emerge from the landscape of the slope. The installation shapes and frames one’s perceptual experience towards the landscape and invites visitors to engage with, contemplate, and expand on Cornell's rich academic and innovative history.

The Sesquicentennial Grove commemorates the many voices that are part of the rich tapestry of Cornell's legacy. Forty-five granite benches are inscribed with a 150-year timeline of historical narratives that begin at the top of the hill and extend beyond the edge of the site.

The expansive Ithaca landscape provides a backdrop upon which to engage the University's past achievements and project its future promise. The Grove is an intentionally open-ended work that represents Cornell's continuity of history. Ezra Cornell, co-founder of Cornell, said "We have not invited you to see a university finished, but to see one begun." Like the University, the installation will continue to expand over time to commemorate future histories.