What is the submarine on the lower level of the library?
Answer
Commander William R. Anderson, who commanded the first nuclear powered submarine, U.S.S. Nautilus (also the first ship to traverse the North Pole), laid the cornerstone to Enders Student Union in October 1958. It was located to the east of where Serrick Hall stands today. Click here to see a photo of the building in 1971.
The model of the Nautilus commemorates this event. It was housed in the Nautilus Room in Enders, but after the building’s fire and demolition, it was moved to Dana Hall, and then to the library. The actual Nautilus submarine still exists as a museum ship in Groton, Connecticut, and can be toured.