Quizzes & Puzzles How Much Do You Know About McGraw Tower? Test your knowledge of East Hill’s most iconic landmark with 12 questions—one for each hour on the clock! DIFFICULTY LEVEL: MEDIUM 1) What year was the tower completed? 1865 1870 1888 1891 None 2) What was the tower’s original use? Library book annex Student housing Weather observation ROTC training None 3) Tower architect William Henry Miller 1872 also designed all of these campus structures, EXCEPT … Risley Hall Barnes Hall Eddy Gate Morrill Hall None 4) The Chimes comprised how many bells when they first rang in the 19th century? How many are there today? 8 then; 19 now 9 then; 21 now 11 then; 18 now 12 then; 24 now None 5) How many steps are there to the top of the tower? 131 141 151 161 None 6) What well-known brand made the tower’s timepiece? Seth Thomas Rolex Bulova Timex None 7) What is the diameter of each clockface? 5 feet 8 feet 10 feet 13 feet None 8) How long is the “long hand” of each clock? 3 feet 5 feet 7 feet 9 feet None 9) Due to what historic event were women finally allowed to be chimesmasters? World War I The passage of the 19th Amendment World War II The end of “in loco parentis” rules None 10) What year did pranksters put a pumpkin atop the tower, making global headlines? 1989 1997 2009 2016 None 11) About how long did the famed pumpkin remain atop the tower? One year Five months One month One week None 12) In the decades since the pumpkin prank, each of these items has appeared atop the tower, EXCEPT … Disco ball Santa hat Stuffed bear Another pumpkin None Time’s up (Top: Photo by Jason Koski / Cornell University.) Published July 22, 2026 Comments Richard Alexander, Class of 1975 16 Aug, 2026 We Alexanders (3 Cornellians) farmed a good hunk of the old Revolutionary War Tract 49 in Dryden for about 40 years, Dad & Mom (Lee & Irene) buying it from the Southworth family, moving in January 1, 1960. Southworth’s business partner was John McGraw, and their families made their fortunes together. Their gift of the beautiful, stone, Southworth Library in Dryden has a similar look to McGraw tower. When I lived on campus, I was in Sperry, just down the Slope, and still fondly hear the wake-up bells playing the Jenny McGraw Rag! Reply Stephen Kessinger, Class of 1977 16 Aug, 2026 McGraw Tower will always be special in my wife’s and my life. Visiting for the ROTC military ball in 1976, she climbed with me to the top of the Tower. There, I proposed to her, she accepted, and 49 years later, our McGraw Tower marriage is still going strong. We still love listening to the bells via the chimes CD, no matter where we’ve lived around the world. Reply Leave a Comment Cancel replyOnce your comment is approved, your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *Comment * Name * Class Year Email * Save my name, email, and class year in this browser for the next time I comment. Δ Other stories You may like Cornelliana 100 Years of Hospitality Education on the Hill: Fascinating Facts Cornelliana What Does It Take to Become a Big Red Chimesmaster? Campus & Beyond Look Back: How Two Cornellians Cracked the ‘Small World’ Problem