Mary Ramsay Brown Channel ’25 — Virginia’s First Licensed Female Architect

Every so often, a piece of Chatham Hall’s history emerges that reminds us of the extraordinary women who have walked our halls and gone on to shape the world in groundbreaking ways. This summer, we were delighted to learn of such a connection, one that links our School’s legacy to a pioneering figure in architecture here in the state of Virginia.

Mary Ramsay Brown Channel, Class of 1925, holds the honor of being the first woman licensed to practice architecture in the Commonwealth of Virginia. Recently, a set of her architectural plans resurfaced unexpectedly.

While cleaning out his late father’s home in Portsmouth, Virginia, Jim Benn, whose firm, Jamerson Lewis, built The Wagoner-LaDuke Center for Athletics, Health and Wellness, came across a signed set of house plans drawn by Mary herself. The home, originally designed by Mary Brown Channel, had been thoughtfully expanded by Jim’s father over the years, and the plans had remained in the family’s possession. Upon researching Mary’s life and career, Jim discovered that she had “prepped” at Chatham Hall before embarking on her trailblazing journey in architecture.

Mary’s career was nothing short of extraordinary. At a time when women were largely absent from the field, she broke barriers, earning her architectural license and designing projects that would leave a lasting imprint across Virginia. She passed away in 2006 at the age of 98, leaving behind a legacy of vision, resilience, and creative brilliance.

This discovery is a reminder of the rich and often untold stories within our alumnae community. Mary Ramsay Brown Channel’s achievements continue to inspire, showing current and future Chatham Hall students what it means to step boldly into uncharted territory and thrive.

We are deeply grateful to Jim Benn for sharing this remarkable story and to Jennifer Hiltwine, our Chief Financial Officer, for bringing it to our attention. We look forward to celebrating Mary’s story more broadly as part of our ongoing efforts to honor the extraordinary women who make up Chatham Hall’s history.