Clark Alumni House
The Clark Alumni House, completed in 1993, was funded by the late K. Raymond Clark '30. It serves as a meeting place and hospitality center for Coe alumni, family, friends, and visitors. The House includes four guest suites, a large living room, elegant conference room, and banquet room which opens onto a terrace and enclosed formal garden. A bronze sculpture, "The Chess Players", sits on the terrace.
Clark Alumni House was opened in May 1993. Randy Kurzman of Weese Langley Weese in Chicago was the architect who designed this magnificent 10,000 square foot Georgian-style home constructed of brick and Indiana limestone.
The interior of the home is elegantly appointed throughout with black Brazilian granite, crown molding, and beautiful woodwork. The furnishings are equally impressive. On the main floor the furnishings are authentic 18th Century reproductions. The sofa in the Great Hall is in the English style, and the chairs are French, Louis XV. This eclectic style of decorating is typical of the 18th Century. In this same time period trade with the Orient was opening up and many of the wealthy took advantage of this new marketplace, and purchased oriental furnishings to be used mainly as accent pieces in their homes. A good example of this is the oriental screen hanging on the south wall of the Great Hall. The Conference Room furniture was built by local craftsman Steve Silver and includes a beautiful solid walnut table and 25 hand-carved chairs.
A handicap-accessible entrance to the main floor is located on the north side of the house. There are four guest suites on the second floor. One suite is handicap-equipped and there is an elevator to take guests between the first and second floors. The two suites at the front of the House contain king-sized beds, and the two at the rear of the House contain two twin beds each. All of the suites are equipped with a remote control television, clock radio, writing desk, armchair, dial-up access to the internet, coffee maker, hair dryer, spacious private bathroom, and ample closet space.
There is a small balcony located on the second floor, directly forward from the top of the stairs. This area may be used by guests to enjoy the sunshine during the day, or to catch a breath of fresh air in the evening before retiring.
The home overlooks a brick terrace and formal English garden complete with fountain, benches and stone walkways. The garden was designed by two Iowa State University landscape architects, William Grundman and Robert Harvey.
These two men are among North America's leading experts on the design and architecture of English gardens. They possess vast knowledge of the plants used in the original English gardens, but had to take into consideration the extreme temperature changes experienced in Iowa when choosing plantings for the Alumni House's garden. Grundman and Harvey designed the pathways and arbor in the garden, along with the surrounding fence and wrought iron gates to be historically correct to the 18th century.
To learn more about the gardens, click here.
The Clark Alumni House is primarily used by the college community for official college purposes. As well, we are proud to host many of our alumni throughout the year as they return to campus and hold events in the House. As scheduling permits, individuals and groups from the surrounding community may also utilize the facility.
- Click here to make a payment with a credit card.
- Click here to view a printable campus map.
For more information, including rates and availability, contact Dana Sanders:
The Clark Alumni House
Coe College
1220 First Ave. N.E.
Cedar Rapids, IA 52402
Phone: 319.399.8686
Email: kpribyl@coe.edu