Download A hidden chemistry lab was unearthed Sunday afternoon by Matt

“Historic
Chemistry Lab
With Links To
Thomas Jefferson”
A hidden chemistry lab was unearthed Sunday afternoon by
Matt Schiedt a worker doing renovations to the iconic Rotunda
at the University of Virginia, and school officials say the room
is directly linked to the third U.S. President Thomas Jefferson,
who helped design the building. The "chemical hearth," which
dates back to the 1820s, is thought to be one of the few
remaining in the world. It featured two sources of heat for
conducting experiments, and a system for pulling out fumes.
According to the University of Virginia press release, the
room, described as "a semi-circular niche in the north end of
the Lower East Oval Room," was preserved because the walls
of the hearth were sealed shut in the mid-1800s. Schiedt said
that most chemical hearths from the era have been destroyed,
making this new discovery "unique." According to the
university, Jefferson, who was the schools founder,
collaborated with the university's first professor of natural
history, John Emmet, to equip the space. In a letter from April
1823, Jefferson requested the class be located on the ground
floor so water would not have to be pumped to upper floors.
The university says the chemical hearth will remain on display
once renovations to the rotunda are complete.
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