Sibley Hall

This is one of two memorials on campus in honor of Clifton Beckwith Brown. During the Spanish American War in 1898, 165 Cornellians served, nearly two-thirds of them as commissioned officers. Clifton Beckwith Brown, who served with Col. Theodore Roosevelt and his Rough Riders in the bloody charge up Cuba’s San Juan Hill, became the first Cornellian to die in combat while in his country’s service. He died on the field of battle at El Caney, Cuba on July 1st, 1898. In 1899, Governor Theodore Roosevelt came to Cornell’s campus to create the second memorial to Brown. He planted two Norway Spruce in his memory at his fraternity, Delta Kappa Epsilon, one of which can still be seen there today. 

The bronze bas relief was commissioned by the Cornell class of 1900. The Artist is B. L. Pratt. [1] It now stands on the east wall of the Hartell Gallery in Sibley Dome. Cornell Alumni Magazine recently published an article about Brown and the plaque.

The plaque is just inside the south facing entrance on the east end of Sibley. Go straight down the hall toward the back and you’ll find this plaque on the left.

Originally called the Sibley School of Mechanical Engineering, Sibley Hall was built in three phases, the western building in 1870, the identical east side was built in 1894, and the connecting center and dome was built in 1902. Engineering moved out in the 1950’s and the Architecture College now holds classes here.