The College’s original building, Cowles Hall is an octagon and The Octagon, has been our student newspaper since 1917. Also, Mark Twain’s study, which was moved to the Elmira College campus 1952, is shaped like (you guessed it) an octagon. Originally located at Quarry Farm, where Twain spent many summers, the study served as his work space while he wrote the Adventures of Huckleberry Finn and Tom Sawyer.

We use the octagon as a traditional reminder of our heritage; it is our official campus "shape." We use it in everything from our brick pavers to our architecture.