As a result, the Betsy Barbour Residence construction began in August of 1911. When the building was complete years later in October 1920, it was named after Levi Barbour’s mother Betsy. Wanting to honor his mother with more than the building being her namesake, he also ordered that his mother’s favorite wooden rocking chair be placed in a small reception room on the first floor. Much of the building’s original furniture (couches, lamps, chairs, etc.) came directly from the Barbours’ home in Detroit (“Betsy Barbour Dormitory”). Due to the use of real home furniture and architect Albert Kahn’s design, which includes traditional home-style features, the Betsy Barbour dorm was seen as a very open and relaxing environment for residents (Dodge). Even today, when one compares Betsy Barbour House to the larger, more standard dormitories on campus, such as Mary Markley Hall and Bursley Hall, you will see how the vision and environment of the two are vastly different. Betsy Barbour Residence exists as a quaint house nuzzled into a sliver between huge buildings, whereas the larger dormitories have a compact, brick building image. Another reason this dormitory stands out is for the small number of individuals allowed to live within the house. Holding originally 120 women, and now only 83, Betsy Barbour stands as one of the smallest resident buildings on campus (“Betsy Barbour”).

The last name Barbour "is an early medieval occupational surname for barber," coming from Old French from the Latin word "barbarius, a derivative of barba, beard," according to the Surname Database. BehindTheName.com, says Betsy is generally a nickname for Elizabeth, which comes from the Greek name Elisabet, a form of the Hebrew name Elisheva, meaning "God is my oath" (from the Hebrew words el (God) and shava (oath).

Also connected to the Barbour family name is UM’s prestigious Barbour Scholarship program, which was endowed by Levi Barbour in 1917 to support female graduate students from Asia and the Middle East. This program has crafted worldwide changes by offering academic opportunities to a multitude of women from different countries to further their academic excellence (Rufus). (Read more on the Barbour Scholarship's legacy for women at UM.) To Levi Barbour, college “prepares for a higher grade of life, a more worthy and complete life” (Barbour). He believed that earning and possessing an education is an extremely important tool for everyone to have, which is another reason why Levi Barbour sought to create the safe, healthy Betsy Barbour Residence for women. Much like the Barbour Scholarship program, the Betsy Barbour House has and will continue to exist as a historic and uplifting environment for female students, as they persevere through college living in this hidden gem.

Works Cited

Barbour, Levi L. College Training for Professional Men. R. Smith Print. Co., 1897.

"Betsy Barbour Dormitory." Bentley.umich.edu, bentley.umich.edu/legacy-support/campus_tour/betsybarbour.php.

“Betsy Barbour House.” UM Student Life, https://maps.studentlife.umich.edu/building/betsy-barbour-house. Accessed 6 Apr. 2023.

“Betsy Barbour.” Michigan Housing, https://housing.umich.edu/residence-hall/betsy-barbour/. 

"Bio: B: Barbour, Levi L. and Levi Barbour Memorial Fountain." Monroe County Michigan Genealogy History Trails Group. http://genealogytrails.com/mich/monroe/bioB.html. Accessed 20 April 2023.

Dodge, Samuel. “Albert Kahn’s Designs Live throughout Ann Arbor and University of Michigan’s Campus.” MLive, 2023, https://www.mlive.com/news/ann-arbor/2023/01/albert-kahns-designs-live-throughout-ann-arbor-and-university-of-michigans-campus.html. Accessed 30 Mar. 2023.

"Elizabeth." Behind The Name. https://www.behindthename.com/name/elizabeth. Accessed 20 April 2023.

"Last Name: Barbour." The Surname Database. https://www.surnamedb.com/Surname/Barbour. Accessed 20 April 2023.

Photo of Levi L. Barbour. Rackham Graduate School: University of Michigan, https://rackham.umich.edu/rackham-life/diversity-equity-and-inclusion/barbour-scholars/history/. Accessed 6 Apr. 2023.

Rufus, Carl. “History " Rackham Graduate School: University of Michigan.” Rackham Graduate School: University of Michigan, 15 Feb. 2023, https://rackham.umich.edu/rackham-life/diversity-equity-and-inclusion/barbour-scholars/history/#:~:text=A%20prominent%20Detroit%20lawyer%2C%20real,Michigan%20in%201863%20and%201865.