The grand Nott Memorial, long a magnet for amateur shutterbugs and professional photographers, is featured in a new calendar celebrating photos of National Historic Landmarks.
Photo by Carolina J. Wierzbowski
A picture of the 16-sided building graces the month of May. Snapped by Carolina J. Wierzbowski of Schenectady using a Canon EOS Rebel T1i, the photo depicts the Nott at 9:30 p.m. on July 14, 2011. She grew up near the campus and was always impressed with the Nott.
"It's a beautiful building," said Wierzbowski, 42, who works for the state Department of Environmental Conservation. She has been taking pictures for about 10 years, focusing primarily on nature photography.
Wierzbowski entered her photo of the Nott in the 12th annual National Historic Landmark Photo Contest, which encourages the selection of unique landmarks and unusual points of view. The photo received an honorable mention.
“There is a back story to each of the photo contest entries,” said Alexandra Lord of the National Park Service’s National Historic Landmarks Program. “The contest is a fun, interesting and educational way to share the history and heritage surrounding America’s national historic landmarks.”
The Nott was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1972 and to the list of National Historic Landmarks in 1986.
The centerpiece of campus, the building is one of America’s most distinctive examples of High Victorian Gothic architecture. Dating to 1875, it is used for lectures, conferences, readings, special events, and exhibits in the Mandeville Gallery and Wikoff Student Gallery, with a popular study area on the third floor. In the 19th century, Eliphalet Nott was Union’s president for 62 years, the longest tenure of any American college president.
To view Wierzbowski’s photo and the other winners, click here.