Burns Park in Ann Arbor in Washtenaw County, Michigan — The American Midwest (Great Lakes)
The Central Forty and The Diag
1837
Photographed By Joel Seewald, April 4, 2016
1. The Central Forty and The Diag Marker
Inscription.
The Central Forty and The Diag. In 1837, the University of Michigan was relocated from Detroit to Ann Arbor where the Ann Arbor Land Company had donated forty acres of land for the site of the university. This original forty acre campus was the area of Central Campus bounded by State Street, North, South, and East University Avenues. Buildings were first placed around the perimeter of campus, facing out to the city streets, beginning with four faculty houses in 1840, and the first classroom/dormitory building in 1841. Of those, only the President's House remains. The inside of the campus was kept as an undeveloped open space. By 1850, diagonal paths emerged, created by students and faculty walking from the corners across campus. These were soon covered with boardwalks and the major path became known as the Diag. In the 1850s, many trees were planted along the walks, giving more formality to the interior of campus. As the university grew, buildings began to occupy the interior of the site, such as the first library built near the center of campus in 1883. The Diag, now referring to the central open space, was more formally developed in the twentieth century, and continues to be the heart of the campus, and a major gathering spot. Generations of students have walked this same diagonal path as have countless respected faculty, alumni, staff, and visitors.
In 1837, the University of Michigan was relocated from Detroit to Ann Arbor where the Ann Arbor Land Company had donated forty acres of land for the site of the university. This original forty acre campus was the area of Central Campus bounded by State Street, North, South, and East University Avenues. Buildings were first placed around the perimeter of campus, facing out to the city streets, beginning with four faculty houses in 1840, and the first classroom/dormitory building in 1841. Of those, only the President's House remains. The inside of the campus was kept as an undeveloped open space. By 1850, diagonal paths emerged, created by students and faculty walking from the corners across campus. These were soon covered with boardwalks and the major path became known as the Diag. In the 1850s, many trees were planted along the walks, giving more formality to the interior of campus. As the university grew, buildings began to occupy the interior of the site, such as the first library built near the center of campus in 1883. The Diag, now referring to the central open space, was more formally developed in the twentieth century, and continues to be the heart of the campus, and a major gathering spot. Generations of students have walked this same diagonal path as have countless respected faculty, alumni, staff, and visitors.
Erected
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2006 by History and Traditions Committee. (Marker Number 20.)
Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Education. A significant historical year for this entry is 1837.
Location. 42° 16.602′ N, 83° 44.282′ W. Marker is in Ann Arbor, Michigan, in Washtenaw County. It is in Burns Park. Marker can be reached from South University Avenue. Marker is in the center of the University of Michigan's Central Campus in front of Hatcher Graduate Library. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 913 South University Avenue, Ann Arbor MI 48109, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Also see . . . The Diag. Wikipedia article (Submitted on October 1, 2019, by Joel Seewald of Madison Heights, Michigan.)
Photographed By Joel Seewald, April 4, 2016
2. The Central Forty and The Diag Marker
Photographed By J. J. Prats, July 26, 2023
3. A View of the Diag
Photographed By J. J. Prats, July 26, 2023
4. The Diag is a National Landmark for Outstanding Landscape Architecture
The ASLA Centennial Medallion placed in the Diag. It reads, “the American Society of Landscape Architects, 1899–1999. This site is recognized as a national landmark for outstanding landscape architecture.”
Photograph by Steve Jensen (CC BY-NC-SA 4.0) in the collection of the Ann Arbor District Library, September 21, 2021
5. The Diag, View from the Harlan Hatcher Graduate Library
“The Diag” is a large open space in the middle of Central Campus. Originally known as the “Diagonal Green,” the Diag derives its name from the many sidewalks running near or through it in diagonal directions. It is one of the busiest sites on campus, hosting a variety of events including outdoor concerts, fundraisers, demonstrations, and picnics. A brass Block M is embedded at the center: local legend has it that if a U-M student steps on the M before taking his or her first bluebook exam, the student will go on to fail that exam.
Credits. This page was last revised on July 31, 2023. It was originally submitted on October 1, 2019, by Joel Seewald of Madison Heights, Michigan. This page has been viewed 257 times since then and 28 times this year. Photos:1, 2. submitted on October 1, 2019, by Joel Seewald of Madison Heights, Michigan. 3, 4, 5. submitted on July 31, 2023, by J. J. Prats of Powell, Ohio.