College Founders Archive, USA

The College Founders Archive was built in the mid-1800’s by a French-American immigrant tycoon and philanthropist. This collection documents the finances of his empire in meticulous detail, spanning over 50 years of trading.

Upon his death, his entire fortune was entrusted to the city. $2 million of his fortune went into building this school, which was intended to provide education for poor orphans. It was originally stipulated in his long and exacting will that the school must only induct “white males”. It took over 130 years before social and legal changes finally forced the inclusion of girls, as well as removing the now illegal racial exclusivity. Today African American students make up 90% of the student population.

This building sits at the heart of an active college, the entire campus enclosed by an imposing 10ft high wall. This particular building features Greek Revival and Neoclassical architecture. The specific room of interest lies on the third floor.

This room, along with the rest of the building, was intended for classroom use. The large echoing halls and general layout of this building made it a poor lecture venue, and now it houses historically important administration archives of the founder’s businesses. He was a fanatical record keeper, documenting all his transactions and flow of wealth in countless ledgers and files. Many of these are stored in large trunks, numbered and dated in his scrupulous fashion. There are also large dusty museum-grade geological specimens tucked away, likely part of the college founders personal collections.

About the Founder

The founder was the son of a merchant mariner, and began his life at sea as a young boy serving as cabin boy. He learnt a lot about international goods trade during his younger years, ferrying goods between France and USA. He eventually settled in America. His new businesses prospered. He was soon sending ships around the globe to trade, as well as becoming a railroad tycoon and owning a real estate business. He was also a successful banker and insurance broker.

There are mixed opinions of his character, and how he conducted business. Most say he was a shrewd mercantile genius and a philanthropist of the poor, saving countless lives during the yellow fever outbreak by supporting local hospitals. Perhaps a little reclusive, but otherwise a great man. Others paint a picture of a womanising miscreant, who took a mistress and locked his first wife in an insane asylum. By some, he is dubbed a racist misanthrope and a miser who was friendless and despised by most of society. Almost certainly, the truth lies somewhere in the middle.