Dartmouth College In Hanover, NH - History, Culture & Hospitality

Activities Calendar

See a list of events and activities around Dartmouth and Hanover

When Daniel Webster stood before the Supreme Court, the man who would become one of America's most famous orators spoke on behalf of his New Hampshire alma mater. He summed up Dartmouth College by saying,"It is a small college and yet, there are those who love it!"

Founded by Eleazer Wheelock in 1769 in "the wilderness" of the far-north bank of the Connecticut River, the school was chartered to bring a Christian education to indigenous tribes of the North East. Wheelock's experiment in education can be seen in the writings of Samson Occom. Dartmouth continues to welcome Native American students, carrying on the original mission and has enrolled more Native American students than any Ivy League college. Comprised of a top Liberal Arts College, Tuck Business School, Thayer School of Engineering and the Geisel School of Medicine, Dartmouth is one of the elite universities in the world.

Daniel Webster's beaver hat sits among the historic artifacts in the Rauner Special Collections Library at Dartmouth. Housed in Baker Library, this artifact coincides with the National Historic Landmark Orozco murals of Western Civilization. The first cartoons of Dartmouth alumnus Ted Geisel (aka Dr. Seuss) can also be found here in tribute to the man for whom the college medical school is now named.

Hanover Inn Dartmouth Resonates Dartmouth Green

Dartmouth is in the DNA of Hanover Inn Dartmouth, carved out of the New England sensibility of famed former student, Robert Frost. The Inn has an authentic sense of place that is Dartmouth, with "Dartmouth green" décor and a restaurant named PINE, in honor of the Lone Pine that gathered graduating Dartmouth seniors and is now symbolized in the College Commencement Lectern. The Inn resonates with the classical architecture that surrounds the Dartmouth Green. It echoes the hospitality of the innkeeper who first built lodgings on the site of Hanover Inn Dartmouth in 1780.

The Arts at Dartmouth

Adjacent to the Inn and connected by interior walkways are the Hopkins Center for the Performing Arts, Hood Museum of Art (currently closed for renovation) and the Black Family Visual Arts Center. For upcoming events and activities at Dartmouth, check out their website.

Hood Museum of Art - Discover a treasure box of 65,000 objects that Dartmouth College started collecting in 1772, three years after its founding. These collections are among the oldest and largest of any university in the country and provide extraordinary access to art, both for learning at the college and public enjoyment. The permanent collections present art from the ancient cultures of America, Europe, Africa, Papua New Guinea, and other regions of the world. Across campus, the Museum's Orozco "Epic of American Civilization" mural in Baker Library is a National Historic Landmark. The Hood is open and free to the public.

The Hopkins Center for the Arts - Along with the Black Family Visual Arts Center, the Hopkins Center for the Arts is the performing arts heart of Hanover. The Center is the stage for concerts, film, Live @ The Met screenings, dance and theater performances. The Hop is home to Dartmouth's performance theater and concert ensembles, and hosts a lively Film Society. The Inn regularly accommodates the cast and crew of visiting shows.

Dartmouth Outdoor Recreation

Outdoor Recreation at Dartmouth, New Hampshire

Dartmouth is an exciting destination for outdoor recreation, including the Dartmouth Outing Club, the oldest outdoors organization of this form in the country. Step right out our front doors and explore the scenic Appalachian Trail that passes through Hanover on its 2180-mile span from Georgia to Maine. Dartmouth Boat House offers seasonal swimming and boating on the Connecticut River (1/2 mile away).

Hanover Country Club - Built in 1899 as a 9-hole course, the Hanover Country Club is a championship 18-hole course and home of the Men's and Women's Dartmouth golf teams. In 1995, golf architect Ron Prichard, known for his restoration of Donald Ross courses, modernized the course, creating four new holes and all new tees and greens. The redesigned 6,500 yard course offers a challenging layout for golfers of all abilities.

Dartmouth Skiway - Located 14 miles from the Hanover Inn Dartmouth, the Dartmouth Skiway is home to 30 well-groomed trails, three ski lifts, and nearly 100 Dartmouth All-Americans. Opened in 1956, Dartmouth Skiway at Winslow Mountain offers 107 skiable acres and 10.25 trail miles of spectacular skiing. The summit elevation is 1,943 feet and the tallest vertical drop is 968 feet. The Dartmouth Skiway is open mid-December through March.