President’s House 1951-1968

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Shortly before President Hatcher and his family arrived in Ann Arbor, the Inglis House estate had been given to the University, and the Hatchers were invited to live there. However, they chose to live in the President’s house on campus. The twenty two room house was sufficient for their needs, and they asked only that a glassed-in porch and stone terrace be added at the rear of the house. The interior of the house was extensively redecorated.

Burton’s enclosed back porch dining area

Hatcher’s glassed-in porch and terrace

Living room

Living room looking into the sun porch

Dining room looking into the library

Semi-circularl library

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The Flemings came to Michigan from the University of Winconsin where Robben Fleming had served as chancellor.

Sally Fleming recalled in her oral history:

“When we first came to see the house, it was quite an experience, because the place was much larger than anything either of us had ever lived in and we were wondering how in the world we were ever going to make this huge place into a home.”

Sally made the President’s House more of a home by using small conversation areas in each room to make the large house seem more cozy.

The multi-storied Graduate Library was constructed behind the President’s House during the Fleming’s tenure. About ten feet of the back yard was taken up for about three years while the large structural pieces were placed and the building took shape.