“Remember Martha Bayard Stevens.” These are words that should echo through the halls of this university. We stand before Martha Bayard Stevens Hall. This building honors a woman of influence in Hoboken history. She was also instrumental in founding Stevens Institute of Technology.
Let’s step back to the late 1860s. Edwin A. Stevens passed away. His wife, Martha Bayard Stevens, was only 37. Edwin’s will provided for a higher learning institution in Hoboken. Martha, as an executor, ensured its creation. Stevens opened just two years later in 1870. It became the first college dedicated to mechanical engineering in the U.S.
But Martha’s legacy extends far beyond the university. She was a civic leader and philanthropist. Martha dedicated herself to improving life in Hoboken. Education and public knowledge were her passions.
She established the Industrial Education Association. This organization trained young women in financial literacy. They learned home economics, neatness, and the principles of saving. Martha also founded the Martha Institute. It taught industrial skills to young men.
Her impact resonates even today. Martha funded the Hoboken Public Library, which opened in 1896. She also supported Hoboken’s churches. She endowed several churches of different denominations. The Episcopal Church of the Holy Innocents was one of them.
Martha’s concern for the city’s welfare was broad. She funded parks, hospitals, and homes. She supported a recreational pier for the poor called the River Walk. She also funded the Willow Terrace workers’ housing project.
This building, Martha Bayard Stevens Hall, has its own story. It opened with the university in 1870. Originally, it was the residence of Samuel Bayard Dod. He was Martha’s brother and former president of the Board of Trustees. Later, it became home to Martha’s son-in-law, Archibald Alexander, and his wife Caroline Bayard Stevens. It was then known informally as “Alexander House.” A fire destroyed the original house in 1909. It was rebuilt the following year.
From 1916 to 1929, the house served as the official presidential residence. President Humphreys and his wife Eva lived here. Afterward, it became faculty housing. Eventually, it served as the student center.
Now, it bears the name Martha Bayard Stevens Hall. This renaming honors her service and patronage. It recognizes a deserving figure in Stevens’ heritage. So, as you pass through these doors, remember Martha Bayard Stevens. She shaped not only this institution but also the city around it. Her legacy of philanthropy and dedication continues to inspire. She is a true pioneer.