Courtesy, The Winterthur Library: Winterthur Archives

Born in Scarborough, New York and educated at MIT, Marian Coffin’s influence upon the University of Delaware frequently goes unnoticed. At a time when men dominated the field of Landscape Architecture, Coffin served as the University’s landscape architect from 1918-52 and played a significant role in the union of the University’s two campuses: Delaware College and the Women’s College. Her plans for the grounds created physical spaces of unification while simultaneously recognizing the two campuses as distinct entities.

Coffin was responsible for designing and planting the landscaping on both campuses. The plan for Delaware College called for two ordered rows of Elm and Oak trees, emphasizing the order and austerity of the campus. Conversely, her plan for the Women’s College called for flowering trees and shrubs, to soften the architecture and create a "romantic" atmosphere. Most importantly, Coffin designed a central "recreation area" consisting of a magnolia circle and paths that bordered an oval-shaped green. This area was intended to create a transitional space between the two campuses, where men and women could meet and relax, without leaving the University grounds.

Despite overwhelming support from Trustees Henry DuPont and H. Rodney Sharp, the plan was thwarted by Coffin’s health, as well as the Great Depression of the 1930s and the development of the campus in the 1950s and 1960s. However, numerous elements of Coffin’s plan remain, most notably the lampposts along the Mall and the allée of Paulownia trees.

Following her work at the University of Delaware and until her death in 1957, Coffin continued to work on notable projects, at locations such as the New York Botanical Gardens, Winterthur, and the Pavilion at Fort Ticonderoga. In recent years, there has been a renewal of interest in Coffin's work and the University of Delaware has returned to some of her original designs for the landscaping of the campus.

More about Marian Coffin:

"Mall landscaping changes will match original design" from UpDate

"History of the Heart of the Campus" from UpDate

Winterthur Museum, Garden & Library