Wells College in Cayuga County, NY, founded in 1868 as a women’s college, was a historically significant institution that embodies the educational and architectural legacy of 19th-century liberal arts education.
Its campus features notable historic buildings and landscapes that contribute to its designation as part of the Aurora Village Historic District (established in 1980).
The campus is home to many National Register buildings, including an 1852 Tuscan villa, 1858 Gothic Revival home, and the 1890 brick main building. The 1968 Brutalist library has also been designated as a local historic landmark.
Just outside the district boundaries are three modern architectural masterpieces designed by Walter Netsch of Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM), which were each less than 15 years old at the time of the original listing.
Currently, Wells College faces threats resulting from its sudden closure in the spring of 2024, which threatens the preservation of the campus’s historic structures and the cultural continuity they represent.
Beyond the architectural loss, the college’s closing seriously affects the local economy and community identity, which are closely intertwined with the institution.
In 1886, Frances Folsom, Wells Class of 1885, married President Grover Cleveland and became the youngest First Lady of the United States. She was the only First Lady to have her wedding in the White House, and she was the first First Lady to have graduated from college. Frances Cleveland (later Preston, after her second marriage) served on the college’s board of trustees for 50 years.
Recognizing this moment on a statewide level underscores the importance of safeguarding New York’s educational and architectural heritage, while raising awareness about the broader challenges small liberal arts colleges face.
Proper preservation planning and strategizing adaptive reuse of the campus could inspire solutions for other struggling institutions, providing both economic and cultural benefits.
Through the work of a partnership group including the Preservation Association of Central New York, Historic Ithaca, the Landmark Society of Western New York (is was added to their 2025 Five to Revive List), and the Preservation League of New York State (which has added the campus to its Seven to Save list), outreach has already begun to the community, college administration, and the state government to ensure protection and continued use of this property.
Illustration: Wells College’s MacMillan Building (photo by Ken Larson, provided by Preservation League of NYS); and the Wells College Boathouse on the Cayuga Lake.
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