Chester Fritz Auditorium
Encyclopedia
The Chester Fritz Auditorium (CFA) is a performance facility on the campus of the University of North Dakota
University of North Dakota
The University of North Dakota is a public university in Grand Forks, North Dakota, USA. Established by the Dakota Territorial Assembly in 1883, six years before the establishment of the state of North Dakota, UND is the oldest and largest university in the state and enrolls over 14,000 students. ...
(UND) located in the city of Grand Forks, North Dakota
Grand Forks, North Dakota
Grand Forks is the third-largest city in the U.S. state of North Dakota and the county seat of Grand Forks County. According to the 2010 census, the city's population was 52,838, while that of the city and surrounding metropolitan area was 98,461...
. "The Fritz", as it is commonly known, is used for many events including concerts, dance groups, and popular Broadway musical
Broadway theatre
Broadway theatre, commonly called simply Broadway, refers to theatrical performances presented in one of the 40 professional theatres with 500 or more seats located in the Theatre District centered along Broadway, and in Lincoln Center, in Manhattan in New York City...
s. The auditorium also plays host to University events including some commencement ceremonies, lectures, and conferences.
Chester Fritz, a notable alumnus of UND, gave the university $
United States dollar
The United States dollar , also referred to as the American dollar, is the official currency of the United States of America. It is divided into 100 smaller units called cents or pennies....
1 million in 1965 for the construction of a "distinctive auditorium" on the campus. The finished auditorium cost $
United States dollar
The United States dollar , also referred to as the American dollar, is the official currency of the United States of America. It is divided into 100 smaller units called cents or pennies....
3 million with additional funds from the state of North Dakota
North Dakota
North Dakota is a state located in the Midwestern region of the United States of America, along the Canadian border. The state is bordered by Canada to the north, Minnesota to the east, South Dakota to the south and Montana to the west. North Dakota is the 19th-largest state by area in the U.S....
and private donations. The Chester Fritz Library
Chester Fritz Library
The Chester Fritz Library is the largest library at the University of North Dakota in Grand Forks, North Dakota. It is the largest library in the state of North Dakota and houses over two million print and non-print items. It is a designated U.S. Patent and Trademark depository of Federal and...
, the main library at UND, is also named after Chester Fritz.
The building measures 85 feet in height and the facade is constructed mainly of brick
Brick
A brick is a block of ceramic material used in masonry construction, usually laid using various kinds of mortar. It has been regarded as one of the longest lasting and strongest building materials used throughout history.-History:...
and pre-cast concrete
Concrete
Concrete is a composite construction material, composed of cement and other cementitious materials such as fly ash and slag cement, aggregate , water and chemical admixtures.The word concrete comes from the Latin word...
sections. It sits on the banks of the English Coulee. The auditorium has been praised for its acoustics
Acoustics
Acoustics is the interdisciplinary science that deals with the study of all mechanical waves in gases, liquids, and solids including vibration, sound, ultrasound and infrasound. A scientist who works in the field of acoustics is an acoustician while someone working in the field of acoustics...
.