Professors’ Monument
William Peters
1846; Limestone, Marble; Artifact
Central Campus; SE corner of Hatcher Graduate Library
Erected by the regents in 1846 following the death of Professor Joseph Whiting (1845); with panels added after the deaths of Professors Douglass Houghton (1845), Charles Fox (1854) and Samuel Denton (1860). Originally placed in the designated “University Burying Ground” on the east side of campus, but the burying ground was never utilized. The monument was moved several times but has been in its present location since 1918. The broken column signifies a life cut short. It is often referred to as a cenotaph, which is a monument to someone whose body is buried elsewhere. Plaques have been placed at the base of the monument which provides translations of the Latin inscriptions.