Alderson Broaddus stands on College Hill, a 170-acre rise of land above the historic town of Philippi, West Virginia. The campus crowns a ridge that drops sharply down to the Tygart Valley River and the iconic two-lane red Philippi Covered Bridge — the oldest covered bridge in the United States still carrying federal highway traffic. From the Whitescarver Hall portico, you can see the bridge in one direction and the long valley running north toward the Cheat Mountains in the other.
The town of Philippi (population about 2,800) is the seat of Barbour County. It is best known historically as the site of the first organized land battle of the American Civil War on June 3, 1861 — a skirmish that lasted just one hour but earned its place in American memory and gave AB athletics its name. Today the town hosts an annual Battle of Philippi reenactment, the Philippi Mummers Parade in October, and a strong farmers' market. AB students walk into town for ice cream, antique stores, the Mummers Museum, the Adaland Mansion, and the AB-affiliated Tygart Valley Little Theatre.
The campus itself is organized around three quadrangles: the central Shearer Quadrangle (academic core), the residential South Quad, and the athletic North Quad. A network of brick paths connects all three, often through mature stands of oak, sugar maple, and white pine. The 120-acre Equestrian Center sits on a rise above the main campus, accessible by a 10-minute walk or the campus shuttle.
Our oldest building and the architectural anchor of campus. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the Classical Revival hall is home to the Office of the President, the Founders Chapel, the Brake Alumni Center, several humanities classrooms, and the iconic Alderson stained-glass window of 1910.
Our principal academic building on Shearer Quadrangle. Home to the College of Liberal Arts, most general-education classrooms, the Office of Admissions, the Office of the Provost, and the Office of Registrar.
Three floors of study, 120,000 print volumes, the Appalachian Heritage Archive, the AB Career Center, the IT Help Desk, and our 600-seat Funkhouser Auditorium.
2,400-seat home of Battler basketball, volleyball, wrestling, and the Athletic Training program. Also hosts commencement exercises every May.
A working farm with covered arena, 22-stall barn, regulation cross-country course, jump arena, and round pens. Home of the IHSA team and the Equestrian Studies program.
The intimate sanctuary inside Whitescarver Hall where the AB community gathers for Tuesday worship, weddings, baccalaureate services, and quiet daily prayer.
Our beloved freshman residence hall. Traditional double rooms, a community kitchen, the storied front porch, and the Office of Student Affairs and Wellness Center on the ground floor.
Renovated in 2021 with geothermal HVAC. Suite-style rooms, lounges on every floor, a 24/7 study lounge in the basement, and the best valley views on campus.
The Caff, plus the Battler Bites grab-and-go cafe, plus a Starbucks-licensed coffee bar. Three meals a day during the academic term.
Whitescarver Hall's great glory is the Alderson Window — an enormous stained-glass installation completed in 1910 by craftsmen from Pittsburgh and dedicated to the founders of Alderson Academy. Each spring during commencement week, sunlight slants through the window onto the tile floor of the chapel and bathes the room in jewel-toned amber, sapphire, and ruby light.
Generations of graduates have stood beneath it, taken their senior photographs in front of it, and counted its panes as a private superstition before final exams. Whitescarver was renovated in 2012 with funding from the West Virginia State Historic Preservation Office; the restoration preserved every original element while adding modern HVAC and accessibility upgrades.
"The light through the Alderson Window will outlast every one of us. That is the point." — Rev. Dr. Theo M. Banks, Chaplain
Visitor parking at Burbick Hall and Pickett Library. Get directions · Virtual tour
