Some memories are crystal clear ... others are curiously shrouded in fog!

That face, by the way, is the Lampoon Castle, "clubhouse" for the Harvard Lampoon ... creative incubator for the likes of Fred Gwynne, John Updike, George Plimpton, Conan O'Brien, and B.J. Novak.

The Gold Coast did house Harvard undergrads, but they were originally privately owned buildings. They rented to Harvard families who didn't want their young men to endure having to live in the antiquated dormitories in the Yard. For their time, they were luxury condos, marble and dark oak foyers, with electricity, gas, and running hot water. All the units were suites, comprised of a common room with a fireplace, two or three bedrooms, and a private bath. Likely one of those would be for students' personal valets (students didn't have time to do their own washing and pressing). There are no dining facilities in these buildings as the residents took their meals either on campus or at their respective finals clubs. By 1930, the buildings had been bought by Harvard and absorbed into what is now Adams House. A bit of irony... by then, most Harvard students preferred to live in the newly built River Houses, and Adams was a bit of an "if you must" choice. The building with the archway entry is Claverly Hall (recently renovated), designed with students who did crew in mind. And there is an Adams House suite that's been renovated and appointed to be exactly as it was when Franklin Delano Roosevelt (Class of 1904) was living there. I stayed in a Claverly Hall suite during a reunion ... one of the foggy memories.

Well played, old man -- thanks for stirring up the foggy ghosts, Shorpy!

I found two news articles. The January 30, 1904, edition of American Architect & Building News stated construction was about to begin on Ridgely Hall, next to the existing Claverly Hall.

Then an article in April 11, 1927, Time Magazine, about how Harvard President Lowell wanted each class to share the same dormitories, regardless of social status. I have no doubt his attempt to mix students by their education class and not social is why Alan Jr., Robert, and Henry Hudson refused to attend Harvard (joke), costing them an inheritance (no joke).

And some kid.

On the little flatiron building.