Bowdoin College History
From the founding of the new nation to the most recent international political developments, Bowdoin and its community have had important roles to play. A number of famous Americans have passed through the halls of Bowdoin. Our illustrious alumni include author Nathaniel Hawthorne, poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, African-American newspaper editor John Brown Russwurm, Civil War hero Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain, U.S. President Franklin Pierce, statesman William Pitt Fessenden, and Olympic athlete Joan Benoit Samuelson. You may begin to explore our past through the College's website, or visit the Special Collections and Archives branch of the Hawthorne-Longfellow Library and start early on your first research paper.
Bowdoin's collections are especially strong in holdings relating to the Civil War. It is here where our history is perhaps the richest. Harriet Beecher Stowe, author of Uncle Tom's Cabin, was married to a young Bowdoin professor, Calvin Stowe. Another Bowdoin faculty member, Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain, became one of the Union's greatest leaders. Not to be outdone, Bowdoin students contributed richly to the most crucial period in our nation's history. From Franklin Pierce, whose policies intensified the sectional controversy, to John Brown Russwurm, who numbered among the first black abolitionists, Bowdoin community members played a crucial role in the bloodiest conflict ever fought on American soil.
These links will guide you to the rich resources available on or near campus.
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