During the college's first years, students were required to work in the fields and workshops in order for the school to earn money to support its programs. This manual labor was retained as part of the curriculum until 1839, as the school was focused on preparing students for Military and Civil Engineering. Later that year, Lafayette purchased property on what is now known as "College Hill" – nine acres of elevated land across Bushkill Creek. The College's first building was constructed two years later on the current site of South College.