Mary Lyon Hall Dorm Reviews — Swarthmore College

About Mary Lyon Hall

Mary Lyon Hall is Swarthmore's most distinctive residence: a sprawling complex about a 15-minute walk southwest of the main campus, situated in a residential neighborhood beyond the wooded Crum Creek valley. The building has a rich history — constructed in 1918, it served as a girls' boarding school, a World War II naval rehabilitation hospital, and faculty housing before Swarthmore purchased it in 1948. The college runs morning and evening shuttle service so residents aren't stranded. Mary Lyon is upperclass-only and has cultivated one of the strongest, most self-sustaining dorm communities on campus; a beloved student-run weekend breakfast features made-to-order crepes and omelets. The trade-off of distance for community and space is one many students actively choose.