This qualitative study utilizing grounded theory examined sense of place for a group of 15 urban students at a small, rural college. The setting is a traditional campus in New England with academic, residential, administrative, and support buildings that sit in a town of 3,500 residents. The area is mountainous and wooded with wetlands, and the campus includes 90 acres of forest and open, landscaped areas. The participants photographed places that were important to them and then the photos were used as prompts for semi-structured, one-on-one interviews during which each participant's sense of place was discussed. Place included space as small as a room or as expansive as a mountain view. The participants used community as an emotional gatekeeper for their development of a sense of place. Natural visual experiences were a first step in developing a personal sense of place. When participants had a reason to be outdoors, they developed a sense of place more easily, and their experience coincided with reduced expression of their fear of nature. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com.bibliotheek.ehb.be/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]