250 Years of Physics at the College of William and Mary: 1760-2010

The recorded history of physics at William and Mary begins when Thomas Jefferson, the College's most distinguished alumnus, meets his mentor, Dr. William Small of Scotland, who opens his eyes to the wonders of natural philosophy. After the vicissitudes of the Revolution and the Civil War, physics enjoys a revival in the twentieth century, culminating in the creation of a Ph.D. program in the 1960s and the building of the William Small Physical Laboratory in Williamsburg. In the 1980s the modern era is launched by the establishment of the US Department of Energy's Jefferson Lab for nuclear physics in nearby Newport News. Today both Small Hall and Jefferson Lab are in the process of renovation. The legacies of Small and Jefferson for physics at William and Mary are secure!