As a senior wrapping up her coursework a quarter early, I am bidding farewell to Santa Clara with nostalgia while I go about my work as a student research assistant in Archives & Special Collections. Thinking back fondly on the camaraderie I formed with my floormates in Swig freshman year–and my not so fond memories of morning fire alarms–I created a timeline of dorms and residence halls from Santa Clara College’s founding in 1851 through to Finn Hall’s opening last fall. I peppered my own commentary throughout the facts and figures, so my contribution stands as a personal history as well as a guide to incoming classes of freshman. Click through the timeline below to get the full story.

What are your memories of living in the dorms at SCU? Housing can make or break the college experience, especially freshman year. Did anyone get dangerously close to leaving the University due to a rotten roommate, or struggle to get work done because you stayed up too late laughing with your neighbor? All Broncos are familiar with the ups and downs of communal living since freshman are required to live on campus, and I would like to think the community my friends and I found with each other in the dorms increased the likeliness of our return each year to slog through three more quarters of lectures, homework, and midterms. Alumni, are you still in contact with your friends from the dorms? I would love to hear your stories in the comments!

Header Image: O’Connor Room 204 from the Turrill-Miller Collection, SCU Archives & Special Collections Digital Collections. All images courtesy of SCU Archives & Special Collections.