Glen Park Mansion – Wells College, Aurora, New York

In 1850, Henry Wells – founder of American Express (1850) and Wells Fargo (1852) – moved with his family from New York City to Aurora, a village on the eastern shore of Cayuga Lake, one of New York State’s Finger Lakes. In 1852, Wells purchased thirty-eight acres just south of the village beginning at Cayuga Lake and running eastward north of the ravine. He named his estate Glen Park and located his residence on the north side of Glen Park Ravine. The house was designed by noted architect A.J. Davis, while the grounds were designed by equally notable architect A.J. Downing.

The following description of Glen Park is taken from a prospectus written in 1875. "The house is of Tuscan villa architecture – the outer walls are of blue limestone, the inner of brick with a chamber between, rendering them impervious to dampness and making the rooms cool in summer and warm in winter. The partitions of the main building are of brick from the foundations upward. The halls and rooms are spacious and sunny, commanding charming views from each window."

In 1868, Wells College was established as "Wells Seminary" – one of the first women’s colleges in the United States. Henry Wells had the building for Wells Seminary constructed on property he donated. Not long after its construction, Wells Seminary burnt to the ground. The first building was replaced in 1890 by the current Main Building. Wells’ mansion was later donated to the college for its use. It is now part of the campus.

After 136 years as a women’s college, Wells announced in October 2004 that it would become a co-educational institution in 2005. This drew student protests on campus. Some parents of students also became involved in the protests. Some of the students said that their protests were patterned after ones at Mills College in the early 1990s. A website called Wells for Women was established. After the college’s decision to adopt coeducation was approved by its board, students filed a lawsuit, which the courts rejected. The college adopted coeducation in 2005.