{"name":"University of Washington Columns","city":"Seattle, Washington","canonical_url":"https://gydeinfo.com/seattle/places/university-of-washington-columns/","markdown_url":"https://gydeinfo.com/seattle/places/university-of-washington-columns.md","updated_at":"2026-06-20T19:45:58.575868+00:00","facts":[{"claim":"The columns were crafted from cedar and originally erected in 1861 to support the portico of the Territorial University of Washington's first building in downtown Seattle.","citation":"https://nstp.uw.edu/single/husky-history-exploration/sylvan-grove/","source_title":"Sylvan Grove: Loyalty, Industry, Faith, and Efficiency","source_type":"official","allowed_use":"canonical_data","retrieved_at":"2026-06-20T17:38:46.934424+00:00","fact_type":"history","as_of":"2024","confidence":0.98},{"claim":"The original building was demolished in 1908, but Edmond Meany helped preserve the columns.","citation":"https://nstp.uw.edu/single/husky-history-exploration/sylvan-grove/","source_title":"Sylvan Grove: Loyalty, Industry, Faith, and Efficiency","source_type":"official","allowed_use":"canonical_data","retrieved_at":"2026-06-20T17:38:46.934424+00:00","fact_type":"history","as_of":"1908","confidence":0.97},{"claim":"The columns were erected on the new campus in 1911 near Denny Hall in the area now occupied by the Quad.","citation":"https://nstp.uw.edu/single/husky-history-exploration/sylvan-grove/","source_title":"Sylvan Grove: Loyalty, Industry, Faith, and Efficiency","source_type":"official","allowed_use":"canonical_data","retrieved_at":"2026-06-20T17:38:46.934424+00:00","fact_type":"history","as_of":"1911","confidence":0.95},{"claim":"The columns remained by Denny Hall until 1921, when they were moved to their permanent home in Sylvan Grove.","citation":"https://nstp.uw.edu/single/husky-history-exploration/sylvan-grove/","source_title":"Sylvan Grove: Loyalty, Industry, Faith, and Efficiency","source_type":"official","allowed_use":"canonical_data","retrieved_at":"2026-06-20T17:38:46.934424+00:00","fact_type":"history","as_of":"1921","confidence":0.96},{"claim":"UW has a tradition that students visit the columns twice: at the start of their studies and again after graduation.","citation":"https://nstp.uw.edu/single/husky-history-exploration/sylvan-grove/","source_title":"Sylvan Grove: Loyalty, Industry, Faith, and Efficiency","source_type":"official","allowed_use":"canonical_data","retrieved_at":"2026-06-20T17:38:46.934424+00:00","fact_type":"significance","as_of":"2024","confidence":0.93},{"claim":"The columns are four 24-foot-tall, white-painted cedar columns that originally supported the portico of the Territorial University of Washington building in downtown Seattle.","citation":"https://sah-archipedia.org/buildings/WA-01-033-0085-01","source_title":"University of Washington Columns | SAH ARCHIPEDIA","source_type":"manual","allowed_use":"facts_with_citation","retrieved_at":"2026-06-20T17:38:46.067893+00:00","fact_type":"architecture","as_of":"2024","confidence":0.99},{"claim":"The original Territorial University building was constructed in 1861 and remained downtown until 1911.","citation":"https://sah-archipedia.org/buildings/WA-01-033-0085-01","source_title":"University of Washington Columns | SAH ARCHIPEDIA","source_type":"manual","allowed_use":"facts_with_citation","retrieved_at":"2026-06-20T17:38:46.067893+00:00","fact_type":"history","as_of":"1861","confidence":0.97},{"claim":"Edmund Meany tried to save and relocate the original building, but only the Ionic portico columns and the bell were preserved.","citation":"https://sah-archipedia.org/buildings/WA-01-033-0085-01","source_title":"University of Washington Columns | SAH ARCHIPEDIA","source_type":"manual","allowed_use":"facts_with_citation","retrieved_at":"2026-06-20T17:38:46.067893+00:00","fact_type":"history","as_of":"1908","confidence":0.97},{"claim":"Herbert T. Condon suggested the LIFE acronym, associating each column with Loyalty, Industry, Faith, or Efficiency.","citation":"https://sah-archipedia.org/buildings/WA-01-033-0085-01","source_title":"University of Washington Columns | SAH ARCHIPEDIA","source_type":"manual","allowed_use":"facts_with_citation","retrieved_at":"2026-06-20T17:38:46.067893+00:00","fact_type":"significance","as_of":"1911","confidence":0.98},{"claim":"In their current setting, the columns form the backdrop to a slightly elevated grassy stage in Sylvan Grove.","citation":"https://sah-archipedia.org/buildings/WA-01-033-0085-01","source_title":"University of Washington Columns | SAH ARCHIPEDIA","source_type":"manual","allowed_use":"facts_with_citation","retrieved_at":"2026-06-20T17:38:46.067893+00:00","fact_type":"architecture","as_of":"2024","confidence":0.92},{"claim":"The University of Washington Columns are used as the backdrop for convocation and commencement ceremonies.","citation":"https://www.washington.edu/ceremony/four-columns/","source_title":"The Four Columns – Office of Ceremonies - University of Washington","source_type":"official","allowed_use":"canonical_data","retrieved_at":"2026-06-20T17:38:45.214624+00:00","fact_type":"history","as_of":"2024","confidence":0.98},{"claim":"Washington Territorial University officially opened on September 16, 1861.","citation":"https://www.washington.edu/ceremony/four-columns/","source_title":"The Four Columns – Office of Ceremonies - University of Washington","source_type":"official","allowed_use":"canonical_data","retrieved_at":"2026-06-20T17:38:45.214624+00:00","fact_type":"history","as_of":"1861","confidence":0.95},{"claim":"The surviving columns were erected on the new campus in 1911 near the intersection of King and Pierce Lanes in the Quad.","citation":"https://www.washington.edu/ceremony/four-columns/","source_title":"The Four Columns – Office of Ceremonies - University of Washington","source_type":"official","allowed_use":"canonical_data","retrieved_at":"2026-06-20T17:38:45.214624+00:00","fact_type":"history","as_of":"1911","confidence":0.96},{"claim":"The columns were moved to their permanent home in Sylvan Grove in spring 1921.","citation":"https://www.washington.edu/ceremony/four-columns/","source_title":"The Four Columns – Office of Ceremonies - University of Washington","source_type":"official","allowed_use":"canonical_data","retrieved_at":"2026-06-20T17:38:45.214624+00:00","fact_type":"history","as_of":"1921","confidence":0.95},{"claim":"The four columns were named Loyalty, Industry, Faith, and Efficiency, abbreviated as LIFE.","citation":"https://www.washington.edu/ceremony/four-columns/","source_title":"The Four Columns – Office of Ceremonies - University of Washington","source_type":"official","allowed_use":"canonical_data","retrieved_at":"2026-06-20T17:38:45.214624+00:00","fact_type":"significance","as_of":"1911","confidence":0.98}],"sources":[{"title":"Sylvan Grove: Loyalty, Industry, Faith, and Efficiency","url":"https://nstp.uw.edu/single/husky-history-exploration/sylvan-grove/","source_type":"official","allowed_use":"canonical_data","retrieved_at":"2026-06-20T17:38:46.934424+00:00","license":"unknown"},{"title":"University of Washington Columns | SAH ARCHIPEDIA","url":"https://sah-archipedia.org/buildings/WA-01-033-0085-01","source_type":"manual","allowed_use":"facts_with_citation","retrieved_at":"2026-06-20T17:38:46.067893+00:00","license":"unknown"},{"title":"The Four Columns – Office of Ceremonies - University of Washington","url":"https://www.washington.edu/ceremony/four-columns/","source_type":"official","allowed_use":"canonical_data","retrieved_at":"2026-06-20T17:38:45.214624+00:00","license":"unknown"}],"commercial_actions":[],"source_policy":{"booking_links_are_evidence":false,"denied_as_evidence":["google_places","google","yelp","tripadvisor"],"allowed_uses":["canonical_data","facts_with_citation","anecdote"]}}