of Representatives beginning in 1853. Packer made an unsuccessful bid for the Democratic Party's Presidential nomination in 1868. He got the party's nod for the 1869 Pennsylvania Governor's race, but lost the campaign to John W. Geary by 4,596 votes, one of the closest statewide races in Pennsylvania history. Lehigh University Packer endeavored to found a university in the Lehigh Valley. The final spot chosen was on South Mountain in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. The location coincided a Moravians religious community and eventually end up coinciding with the home of Bethlehem Steel. In 1865, Packer gave $500,000 and 60 acres (243,000 m²), later increased to 115 acres (465,000 m²), for the establishment of a technical trade school for engineers. Lehigh University was chartered, and instruction began in 1866. The first main building, Packer Hall, was completed in 1869. With Packer's generosity, Lehigh was able to offer education tuition free for its first 20 years, 1871–1891, before economic troubles in the 1890s forced the University to reverse this policy. After the initial gift of one half million dollars, Packer continued to support the university and he took an active role in its management. His will bequeathed $1,500,000 as an endowment for the university, $500,000 to the university library, and granted the university an interest of nearly one third in his estate upon its final distribution. Family Packer was married to Sarah Minerva Blakslee (1807–1882), daughter to Zophar and Clarinda Whitmer Blakslee. The Packers had seven children: Lucy Packer Linderman (1832–1873), Catherine Packer (1836–1837), Mary Packer Cummings (1839–1912), Malvina Fitzrandolph Packer (1841–1841), Robert Asa Packer (1842–1883), Gertrude Packer (1846–1848), and Harry Eldred Packer (1850–1884). Legacies Packer's residence, Asa Packer Mansion, became a museum, opened for tours in 1956, and was named a National Historic Landmark in 1985. Packer was a member of St. Mark's Episcopal Church in Jim Thorpe, Pennsylvania and contributed large amounts of money to this beautiful Gothic Revival Church. St. Mark's was declared a National Historic Landmark in 1987. There is also an elementary school in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania named after Packer. Lehigh University continues to honor him with a large portrait by Charles A. Boutelle and an annual celebration of Founder's Day. A life-sized bronze by Karel Mikolas, donated by the Lehigh University Class of 2003 and dedicated in 2008, stands outside Lehigh University's Alumni Memorial Building. See also List of railroad executives References The Asa Packer Mansion Museum. Asa Packer