Lowell House Red Elm

This bowl was handcrafted from a Red Elm tree (Ulmus rubra) that grew beside Lowell House for over 80 years, since the House's opening in the early 1930s. Lowell House was named in honor of the Lowell family, who have been closely associated with Harvard University since John Lowell graduated in 1721. Harvard’s 22nd president, Abbott Lawrence Lowell (1909–1933), instituted the House system, fulfilling his vision of providing student housing for all undergraduates.

Lowell House is best known for its tall blue bell tower, which stands between Harvard Yard and the Charles River. For 75 years, an original set of pre-revolutionary Russian bells hung in the tower, ringing every Sunday afternoon. During the annual Harvard-Yale football game, the bells would sound in celebration of Harvard's score and toll with gloom for Yale's.

In 2017, renovation began on Lowell House, and most of the trees surrounding the House, including this massive Red Elm, were removed. Parts of the trees were repurposed to create decorative paneling within the building.

Very little of these trees remains for bowls.