Hill Hall at Savannah State College
Encyclopedia
Hill Hall at Savannah State College, also known as Walter Bernard Hill Hall and built between 1900 and 1901 by students studying manual arts and blacksmithing, was added to the National Register of Historic Places
in 1981. The building was named for Dr. Walter Barnard Hill
.
Located on the campus of Savannah State University
, the facility had a variety of uses since its initial construction including a bookstore, student center, male dormitory, and library. Between 1914 and 1918, during World War I, the building served as a barracks facility for Black soldiers as they trained in Savannah.
Hill Hall was closed in 1996 following protests by students when the building, a dorm at the time, fell into disrepair.
The building was damaged by fire on May 8, 2000 as work crews were completing renovations.
For nearly 20 years campus officials and community groups worked to raise money for restoration through the Hill Hall Restoration Project and the building was reopened in 2008. Today, it houses the university's Enrollment Management Center, a presidential suite, administrative offices, a lecture hall, a banquet room, and a mini museum.
The Georgia Historical Commission and the Georgia Department of Natural Resources have recognized both the Savannah State campus and Hill Hall as a part of the Georgia Historical Marker Program.
On April 26, 2001, a historic marker was erected by the Georgia Historical Society and the Savannah State University National Alumni Association. The Georgia Trust for Historic Preservation honored the Hill Hall Restoration project with its Excellence in Rehabilitation Award for 2009.
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
in 1981. The building was named for Dr. Walter Barnard Hill
Walter Barnard Hill
Walter Barnard Hill was chancellor of the University of Georgia in Athens from 1899 until his death in 1905 ....
.
History
| President William Howard Taft was a visitor to Hill Hall in 1912. |
Savannah State University
Savannah State University is a four-year, state-supported, historically black university located in Savannah, Georgia. Savannah State holds the distinction as the oldest public historically black university in Georgia...
, the facility had a variety of uses since its initial construction including a bookstore, student center, male dormitory, and library. Between 1914 and 1918, during World War I, the building served as a barracks facility for Black soldiers as they trained in Savannah.
| Hill Hall was used as a backdrop for the movie The General's Daughter The General's Daughter The General's Daughter is a 1999 murder mystery film starring John Travolta. The plot concerns the mysterious death of the daughter of a prominent general. The movie is based on the novel by the same name written in 1992 by Nelson DeMille, and was directed by Simon West... in 1998. |
The building was damaged by fire on May 8, 2000 as work crews were completing renovations.
For nearly 20 years campus officials and community groups worked to raise money for restoration through the Hill Hall Restoration Project and the building was reopened in 2008. Today, it houses the university's Enrollment Management Center, a presidential suite, administrative offices, a lecture hall, a banquet room, and a mini museum.
Historical recognition
On April 26, 2001, a historic marker was erected by the Georgia Historical Society and the Savannah State University National Alumni Association. The Georgia Trust for Historic Preservation honored the Hill Hall Restoration project with its Excellence in Rehabilitation Award for 2009.