William J. Vaughn House
William J. Vaughn House/Robert Penn Warren Center
William J. Vaughn House/Robert Penn Warren CenterWhen Vanderbilt University was built, it was situated out in the country, away from the center of downtown Nashville. Since housing near the university was limited, homes for faculty were constructed along the edge of campus. Residence #5 (so called due to the legend assigned when it was first added to the campus map) was given to William J. Vaughn, Professor of Mathematics 1883-1912. The number assigned to the house changed over the years as other buildings were added to the official campus map and the legend expanded to include the new additions.
Since 1987, it has been the home of the Robert Penn Warren Center for the Humanities which is dedicated to humanities research.
Photographic Archives
Vanderbilt University Photographic Archives
The Vanderbilt University Photographic Archives contains photographic images of the Vanderbilt University community from the founding of the university in 1875 up to early 2000. The archives includes images of buildings, campus scenes, portraits, group photos, construction scenes and other topics.
Access to the Collection
To make an appointment to view images in these collections, call the library at 615-322-2807 (2-2807 on campus) or e-mail us at specialcollections@vanderbilt.edu.
Background Resources
- Gone with the Ivy: A Biography of Vanderbilt University byCall Number: LD5588 .C66 1985ISBN: 087049452XPublication Date: 1985-06-01A comprehensive history of Vanderbilt University, from its beginnings in 1873 to 1982.
- History of Vanderbilt University byCall Number: LD5588 .M5Publication Date: 1946An early history of Vanderbilt University from its beginning in 1873 up to the end of World War II.
- Brief History of Vanderbilt University byCall Number: LD5588 .M32 1973Publication Date: 1973A brief history of Vanderbilt University, covering 1873 to 1973.
The Vanderbilt Campus by Call Number: LD5588 .M33ISBN: 0826512100Publication Date: 1979-12-01A pictorial survey of the Vanderbilt campus from 1873 up to 1978. There are 25 brief essays on aspects of the campus, an alphabetical list and identification of persons for whom buildings are named, and a chronological list of buildings with their principal architects.- Nashville in the 1890's byCall Number: F444 .N2 W25ISBN: 0826511651Publication Date: 1970-11-01Story of Nashville, Tennessee from 1890 to 1899 as related in written memoirs and oral history interviews with local residents.
- Nashville 1900-1910 byCall Number: F444 .N2 W26ISBN: 0826511651Publication Date: 1970-11-01Story of Nashville, Tennessee 1900-1910 as related in written memoirs and oral history interviews with local residents.
Location: Special Collections. Ask at reception desk for assistance.
John Thomas McGill Papers
Box 11
File on Vaughn
Stella and William Vaughn Collection
Box 1 - scrapbook
Box 12-13 - correspondence, ledger books
Box 17 - "Vanderbilt Days" by Stella Vaughn
Boxes 19-21 - photographs
Boxes 25-26 - photographs
Waller Project Collection
Box 3 - memoirs by Stella Vaughn
A Half Century at Vanderbilt
January 29, 1948
Miss Stella S. Vaughn's Memories of the Vanderbilt Campus, 1882-1948
- John T. McGill PapersFinding aid for the John T. McGill Papers. Contains subject files on Vanderbilt history topics.
- William and Stella Vaughn Collection InventoryBox by box inventory of the William and Stella Vaughn Collection.
- Waller Project Collection InventoryBox by box inventory of the Waller Project Collection. Contains interviews and memoirs used for the books "Nashville in the 1890s" and "Nashville 1900-1910" by William Waller.
- Digital Sanborn MapsLarge-scale landbook maps which includes information such as outline of each building, the size and shape and construction materials, heights, and function of structures, location of windows and doors, street names, street and sidewalk widths, property boundaries, building use, and house and block numbers. Use the index page on each map to locate the page number of the street or business/organization you want to view.
- Heritage QuestSearch U.S. census records, genealogy and local history books, Freedman's Bank records, and more.
- Proquest Historical NewspapersHistorical access to the Nashville Tennessean newspaper, 1812-1922.
Campus Planning Facilities Library
Contact person: Chris Jones, chris.jones@vanderbilt.edu
Campus Planning maintains historical building records. Contact them for information on access to historical building information.
