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Constructed: 1917
Architect: William Jones Smith of Chicago
Named for: Russell Sage, New York broker, as a memorial.
Sage House Rules (PDF)
Opened in September, 1917 and completed in December, 1917, Russell Sage Hall was erected with funds from the largest gift to date to Lawrence, $100,000 given by philanthropist, Margaret Olivia Sage (Mrs. Russell Sage), as a memorial to her husband, and by an additional $20,000 donated by other persons. Mrs. Sage's intention to donate funds for a women's dormitory came three months after certain people at Lawrence were duped by "Kerosene Alice" who falsely promised a donation after being treated to campus dinners and train fare, according to Marguerite Schumann '44, author of Creation of a Campus.
The new fireproof dormitory originally housed 150 women in five stories and included an electric elevator, the only passenger elevator on campus at the time. In addition to its Mount Vernon-like style, Sage offered elaborate parlors, an infirmary, fifty single rooms, and fifty double rooms.
Today, Sage is a co-ed dormitory with 145 students of all levels. One of its attractions is the various room configurations it offers: singles, doubles, quads, and suites.