The area that became Mirror Lake was acquired by the University in 1918 from the family of Edwin Whitney, and the acquisition included the nearby Whitney family home, which over the years has housed a variety of University offices and programs. Whitney started a state orphanage that later became the first academic building of the University in 1881. Built in 1769, the Whitney House and the nearby Honors House, built in 1820, are the oldest structures on the campus. Mirror Lake was formed in 1922 when a dam was constructed at the northern end of a standing water outlet, and, named by students shortly after its formation, Mirror Lake and its small island are among the most picturesque areas of the campus landscape.