University of Mary Washington Then & Now

According to University of Mary Washington: A Centennial History, 1908-2008, when the amphitheater was “Completed in 1923, it was built into a natural slope in a grove of trees just below the main campus and could initially accommodate approximately eight hundred people, a capacity that was doubled some years later.” ¹  Dedicated on May 11, 1923, “the amphitheater was an impressive venue” ² that served as the site for many campus events, such as senior plays, May Day performances, and commencement; however, as the campus expanded, the amphitheater was used less frequently. ³

The University of Mary Washington announced in March 2014 that Robert S. and Alice Andrews Jepson ’64 donated a $1 million challenge gift towards the restoration of the amphitheater.  Though a timeline for the project has not yet been released, sources say that “the restoration would return the amphitheater to its 1952-1953 appearance by repairing and reconstructing damaged and missing pieces. It would provide seating for approximately 600 people on weather-resilient benches and chairs while incorporating accommodations for ADA accessibility.” ⁴

Amphitheater, n.d. "May day festivities," n.d., The Centennial Image Collection, UMW Digital Archives, University of Mary Washington.	Amphitheater, 2014 Carly Winfield, "Amphitheater," March 21, 2014, Personal Collection of Carly Winfield, University of Mary Washington.
Amphitheater, future Train & Partners Architects, Future Rendering of UMW Amphitheather, http://www.umw.edu/news/2014/03/01/jepsons-give-1-million-to-restore-umw-amphitheater/.