University of Arkansas Campus Historic District
Encyclopedia
The University of Arkansas Campus Historic District is a historic district
that was listed on the National Register of Historic Places
on September 23, 2009. The district covers the historic core of the University of Arkansas
campus, including 25 buildings.
The district was added to the National Register of Historic Places
(NRHP) on September 23, 2009 and the listing was announced as the featured listing in the National Park Service
's weekly list of October 2, 2009.
The historical core of campus was built in many phases, coincident with when funding was available to build. Beginning with the construction of Old Main in 1879, buildings were built haphazardly around campus. This was chenged when the architecture firm Jamieson & Spearl designed the 1925 master plan, which includes many of the Collegiate gothic
style buildings (such as the Agriculture Building
). The plan allowed for more structure and a better layout. However, funding ran dry and the master plan came to a halt. Building resumed following many Public Works Administration
grants after World War II
.
Another interesting feature of the campus is Campus Drive. Formerly a through street, Campus Drive was converted to a footpath. It is bounded by many tear-drop shaped lampposts, signifying the Trail of Tears
that runs nearby.
Old Main, originally University Hall is the University’s signature building and appears on its seal. The building was constructed between 1873 and 1875 as part of a land grant for the state of Arkansas. The building was designed in Second Empire architectural style. The exterior walls are made of local red brick, and the foundation uses local sandstone. John Mills Van Osdel's original plan called for a clock, but one was not installed until 2005. Old Main currently houses the offices of the J. William Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences
, its honors program and five academic departments, as well as classrooms and meeting spaces.
Old Main was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1970
on the University of Arkansas campus. Prior to 1875, the land was known as the McIlroy Farm. It was purchased for use as a university campus because of its prominence (the campus is still referred to as "The Hill"). The Lawn contains Senior Walk, a concrete walking path that runs throughout the entire campus and contains the name of every university graduate. It also contains Spoofer's Stone, a piece of sandstone
that the builders of Old Main left in place after it fell out of an oxcart. The stone was used as a meeting place for males and females before the university became co-ed. The campus arboretum
contains every tree found in the state of Arkansas
. The Old Main Lawn area was enclosed by sandstone blocks in early 1900.
Senior Walk is a concrete footpath of over 2.5 miles (4 km) started in 1905 that contains the name of University of Arkansas graduates. The idea is unique to the University of Arkansas. Initially, sections of the walk were created by a representative of graduating class who simply wrote the students' names in the wet concrete, the university began using brass letter stamps to imprint the names in wet concrete in the 1920s and continued that process until the late 1970s. The graduating classes prior to 1905 were added retroactively. Larger graduating classes led the university's staff to create the "Senior Sand Hog", which sandblasts the names into the concrete walks after the concrete has cured. For many years, according to university lore, freshmen at university were counseled by upperclass students to not step on the sidewalk bearing the class of 1900, because the members of the 1900 class had all met untimely and tragic deaths. In truth, the members of the class of 1900 lived long productive lives.
The university has designated future sidewalks to continue Senior Walk through at least 2030.
was built in 1927, and the old Agriculture Annex became the university infirmary in 1940. The infirmary moved upon construction of the Pat Walker Health Center. Today, the Agriculture Annex building contains a computer lab for agriculture students in addition to an agriculture statistics lab and offices for graduate students.
. This facility also serves the Hospitality and Restaurant Management academic program. Carnall Hall was built in 1905 as the University’s first women’s residence hall. The building was named after Ella Carnall, a noted teacher and role model for young women, and one of the campus’ first female faculty members. It was designed by Charles L. Thompson
. The structure was added to the National Register of Historic Places
in 1982. In the 1990s it has been renovated into an inn and restaurant., with lead architect James Lambeth.
fraternity
until 1977. Subsequently, the Hall was used for academics until the expansion of Old Main
. Despite being listed on the National Register of Historic Places
in 1982, the building fell into disrepair, and closed in 1991. However, due to the hard work of preservations, the building has been refurbished and today operates as a hotel. It contains over 50 rooms and is very popular during Arkansas Razorbacks
sporting events.
building on campus. A small, three-story brick building in the Spanish architecture style, it was outgrown and replaced by the new Chemistry Building
in 1935. Today this building serves as the Academic Support Building.
.
, and was completed at around the same time. Using limestone from Batesville, Arkansas
, the building holds an auditorium, library, classrooms, labs, studios, a blueprint room, and a tool room. Following an addition in 1951, and the construction of Bell Engineering Center in 1987, the original Engineering Hall is now used primarily for small classes.
and economics
, agricultural and extension education, agricultural communications, and entomology departments.
The Ohi Omega Greek Theatre is a multipurpose semi-circular amphitheatre
, built to replicate the Theatre of Dionysus
. Chi Omega
donated the theatre to the University, and president John C. Futrall accepted the gift on June 28, 1930, in accordance with the 1925 Jamieson and Spearl master plan. Chi Omega was founded at Arkansas in 1895. It has served host for concerts, pep rallies, commencements, and classes.
Vol Walker Hall, originally Vol Walker Library was the library on the University of Arkansas campus. Modeled after Rush Rhees Library
at the University of Rochester
, the University of Arkansas obtained Public Works Administration
funding to build the building in the Classic Revival
form. The building has also housed the School of Architecture
since the construction of Mullins Library in 1968.
funding in conjunction with Vol Walker Library as part of the 1925 master plan. The university also outgrew this Chemistry Building, and a new building was added by skywalk in 1992.
on the University of Arkansas campus. Gibson Hall was originally a men's residence hall, and the three-story brick building was named Razorback Hall. Following a 1963 remodeling, the building became an upper-tier women's dormitory. In 1981, it was renamed posthumously for James L. Gibson, the late University housing director.
in 1954, the physical education department unitl 1982, and the university museum unitl 2003. It now contains the Arkansas Center for Space and Planetary Sciences
.
is a building on the University's campus in Fayetteville, Arkansas
. The building was added to the National Register of Historic Places
in September 1992 as Student Union Building-University of Arkansas, Fayetteville.
identified a need for a student union
on campus and began charging students a $2 "student union fee" on their bill. That fee, coupled with Public Works Administration
funding, resulted in the construction of Memorial Hall, which at the time was named Student Union. On September 12, 1939, Futrall was killed in an automobile accident, and the Board of Trustees passed a resolution to change the name to Futrall Memorial Hall. The building was still referred to as the Student Union, despite the motion.
The grand building was opened in March 1940, and featured a bookstore, restaurant, post office
, confectionery
, and a large ballroom
with bandshell
. The second floor had offices for The Arkansas Traveler
(the student publication). The building remained as it was for ten years, until a large three story addition was finished to provide better food services. Upon completion of the Arkansas Union in 1973, Memorial Hall became home to the psychology
department, and many of the rooms were converted to classrooms. It also gained the Landscape Architecture and Air Force ROTC departments.
The Board of Trustees again changed the name to Memorial Hall in 1973, which is how it is known today. The building still houses the three listed departments to this day.
features from the period of construction, including large lights near the steps of the north enterance and lots of sleek lines. The floors feature repeating patterns typical of art deco contsruction and the staircases appear streamlined and modern. At the west enterance to the building stand two large, mature trees. One is a Bald Cypress
and the other a Southern Magnolia. Both trees date to the time of Memorial Hall's construction.
Ozark Hall is one of the older buildings on campus. It is home to several of the physical science departments. The building was formerly attached to the Commerce Building, and together the structure was known as the Business Administration Building. The Business Administration department moved out in 1978, and the Commerce Building was razed in 1987. The building is located directly to the south of Old Main.
Historic district (United States)
In the United States, a historic district is a group of buildings, properties, or sites that have been designated by one of several entities on different levels as historically or architecturally significant. Buildings, structures, objects and sites within a historic district are normally divided...
that was listed on the National Register of Historic Places
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...
on September 23, 2009. The district covers the historic core of the University of Arkansas
University of Arkansas
The University of Arkansas is a public, co-educational, land-grant, space-grant, research university. It is classified by the Carnegie Foundation as a research university with very high research activity. It is the flagship campus of the University of Arkansas System and is located in...
campus, including 25 buildings.
The district was added to the National Register of Historic Places
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...
(NRHP) on September 23, 2009 and the listing was announced as the featured listing in the National Park Service
National Park Service
The National Park Service is the U.S. federal agency that manages all national parks, many national monuments, and other conservation and historical properties with various title designations...
's weekly list of October 2, 2009.
The historical core of campus was built in many phases, coincident with when funding was available to build. Beginning with the construction of Old Main in 1879, buildings were built haphazardly around campus. This was chenged when the architecture firm Jamieson & Spearl designed the 1925 master plan, which includes many of the Collegiate gothic
Collegiate Gothic in North America
Collegiate Gothic is an architectural genre, a subgenre of Gothic Revival architecture.-History:The beginnings of Collegiate Gothic in North America date back to 1894 when Cope & Stewardson completed Pembroke Hall on the campus of Bryn Mawr College...
style buildings (such as the Agriculture Building
University of Arkansas Agriculture Building
The Agriculture Building at the University of Arkansas is a building on the University's campus in Fayetteville, Arkansas. The building was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1992.-History:...
). The plan allowed for more structure and a better layout. However, funding ran dry and the master plan came to a halt. Building resumed following many Public Works Administration
Public Works Administration
The Public Works Administration , part of the New Deal of 1933, was a large-scale public works construction agency in the United States headed by Secretary of the Interior Harold L. Ickes. It was created by the National Industrial Recovery Act in June 1933 in response to the Great Depression...
grants after World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
.
Another interesting feature of the campus is Campus Drive. Formerly a through street, Campus Drive was converted to a footpath. It is bounded by many tear-drop shaped lampposts, signifying the Trail of Tears
Trail of Tears
The Trail of Tears is a name given to the forced relocation and movement of Native American nations from southeastern parts of the United States following the Indian Removal Act of 1830...
that runs nearby.
Old Main
Old Main, originally University Hall is the University’s signature building and appears on its seal. The building was constructed between 1873 and 1875 as part of a land grant for the state of Arkansas. The building was designed in Second Empire architectural style. The exterior walls are made of local red brick, and the foundation uses local sandstone. John Mills Van Osdel's original plan called for a clock, but one was not installed until 2005. Old Main currently houses the offices of the J. William Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences
J. William Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences
The J. William Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences is the University of Arkansas' college for students with interest in the liberal arts. It is named for former University President and United States Senator J. William Fulbright. The College has 19 different academic departments...
, its honors program and five academic departments, as well as classrooms and meeting spaces.
Old Main was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1970
Old Main Lawn
Old Main Lawn is an area surrounding Old MainOld Main (University of Arkansas)
Old Main is the oldest building on the University of Arkansas campus in Fayetteville, Arkansas. It is one of the most recognizable symbols of the University , and of higher education in general in Arkansas.- History :Old Main was constructed between 1873 and 1875 as part of a land grant for the...
on the University of Arkansas campus. Prior to 1875, the land was known as the McIlroy Farm. It was purchased for use as a university campus because of its prominence (the campus is still referred to as "The Hill"). The Lawn contains Senior Walk, a concrete walking path that runs throughout the entire campus and contains the name of every university graduate. It also contains Spoofer's Stone, a piece of sandstone
Sandstone
Sandstone is a sedimentary rock composed mainly of sand-sized minerals or rock grains.Most sandstone is composed of quartz and/or feldspar because these are the most common minerals in the Earth's crust. Like sand, sandstone may be any colour, but the most common colours are tan, brown, yellow,...
that the builders of Old Main left in place after it fell out of an oxcart. The stone was used as a meeting place for males and females before the university became co-ed. The campus arboretum
Arboretum
An arboretum in a narrow sense is a collection of trees only. Related collections include a fruticetum , and a viticetum, a collection of vines. More commonly, today, an arboretum is a botanical garden containing living collections of woody plants intended at least partly for scientific study...
contains every tree found in the state of Arkansas
Arkansas
Arkansas is a state located in the southern region of the United States. Its name is an Algonquian name of the Quapaw Indians. Arkansas shares borders with six states , and its eastern border is largely defined by the Mississippi River...
. The Old Main Lawn area was enclosed by sandstone blocks in early 1900.
Senior Walk
The university has designated future sidewalks to continue Senior Walk through at least 2030.
Agriculture Annex
Agriculture Hall was built in 1906 using funding from the Arkansas Legislature. It was one of six other buildings built at the same time. The new Agriculture BuildingUniversity of Arkansas Agriculture Building
The Agriculture Building at the University of Arkansas is a building on the University's campus in Fayetteville, Arkansas. The building was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1992.-History:...
was built in 1927, and the old Agriculture Annex became the university infirmary in 1940. The infirmary moved upon construction of the Pat Walker Health Center. Today, the Agriculture Annex building contains a computer lab for agriculture students in addition to an agriculture statistics lab and offices for graduate students.
Ella Carnall Hall
The Inn at Carnall Hall and Ella’s Restaurant are the University’s own on-campus 50-room historic inn and five-star restaurantRestaurant
A restaurant is an establishment which prepares and serves food and drink to customers in return for money. Meals are generally served and eaten on premises, but many restaurants also offer take-out and food delivery services...
. This facility also serves the Hospitality and Restaurant Management academic program. Carnall Hall was built in 1905 as the University’s first women’s residence hall. The building was named after Ella Carnall, a noted teacher and role model for young women, and one of the campus’ first female faculty members. It was designed by Charles L. Thompson
Charles L. Thompson
Charles L. Thompson and associates is an architectural group that has worked in Arkansas since the late 1800s and continues to this day, now as Cromwell Architects Engineers, Inc.. This article is about Thompson's and associates work as part of one architectural group and its predecessor and...
. The structure was added to the National Register of Historic Places
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 1982. In the 1990s it has been renovated into an inn and restaurant., with lead architect James Lambeth.
Construction
The Arkansas Legislature funded six buildings for the University in 1905, one of which was designated to be the first women's dormitory in the state. It was completed by 1906 and named for Miss Ella Howison Carnall, who was a prominent Professor of English and Modern Languages from 1881-84 at the University. The Hall was built on the far northeast corner of campus in keeping with the University's strict rules against fraternization between the sexes.Uses
The building was used as a women's dormitory until 1967, and then housed the Phi Gamma DeltaPhi Gamma Delta
The international fraternity of Phi Gamma Delta is a collegiate social fraternity with 120 chapters and 18 colonies across the United States and Canada. It was founded at Jefferson College, Pennsylvania, in 1848, and its headquarters are located in Lexington, Kentucky, USA...
fraternity
Fraternity
A fraternity is a brotherhood, though the term usually connotes a distinct or formal organization. An organization referred to as a fraternity may be a:*Secret society*Chivalric order*Benefit society*Friendly society*Social club*Trade union...
until 1977. Subsequently, the Hall was used for academics until the expansion of Old Main
Old Main (University of Arkansas)
Old Main is the oldest building on the University of Arkansas campus in Fayetteville, Arkansas. It is one of the most recognizable symbols of the University , and of higher education in general in Arkansas.- History :Old Main was constructed between 1873 and 1875 as part of a land grant for the...
. Despite being listed on the National Register of Historic Places
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 1982, the building fell into disrepair, and closed in 1991. However, due to the hard work of preservations, the building has been refurbished and today operates as a hotel. It contains over 50 rooms and is very popular during Arkansas Razorbacks
Arkansas Razorbacks
The Razorbacks, also known as the Hogs, are the names of college sports teams at the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville, Arkansas. The term Arkansas Razorbacks properly applies to any of the sports teams at the university. The Razorbacks take their name from the feral pig of the same name...
sporting events.
Original Chemistry Building
The Chemistry Building was built in 1906 as the original chemistryChemistry
Chemistry is the science of matter, especially its chemical reactions, but also its composition, structure and properties. Chemistry is concerned with atoms and their interactions with other atoms, and particularly with the properties of chemical bonds....
building on campus. A small, three-story brick building in the Spanish architecture style, it was outgrown and replaced by the new Chemistry Building
University of Arkansas Chemistry Building
The Chemistry Building at the University of Arkansas is a building on the University's campus in Fayetteville, Arkansas. The building was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1992.-History:...
in 1935. Today this building serves as the Academic Support Building.
Peabody Hall
Peabody Hall was built in 1913 using a $40,000 donation from the George Peabody Fund. It was the first on-campus building built using private funds. It was built for use by the Department of Education.Women's Gymnasium
The Women's Gymnasium was completed in 1925 by the campus Department of Buildings and Grounds with help from the engineering students. The floor was 60 feet (18.3 m) by 90 feet (27.4 m), and could hold two basketball counts or four volleyball courts. It also has a full basement. Today, the building is used by the Army ROTCArmy Reserve Officers' Training Corps
The Army Reserve Officers' Training Corps is the United States Army component of the Reserve Officers' Training Corps. It is the largest ROTC program, with 20,000 ROTC cadets in 272 ROTC programs at major universities throughout the United States.The modern Army Reserve Officers' Training Corps...
.
Engineering Hall
Engineering Hall was completed in the collegiate gothic style in 1925. The building was built similar to the Agriculture BuildingUniversity of Arkansas Agriculture Building
The Agriculture Building at the University of Arkansas is a building on the University's campus in Fayetteville, Arkansas. The building was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1992.-History:...
, and was completed at around the same time. Using limestone from Batesville, Arkansas
Batesville, Arkansas
Batesville is the county seat and largest city of Independence County, Arkansas, United States, 80 miles northeast of Little Rock, the state capital. According to 2005 Census Bureau estimates, the population of the city was 9,556...
, the building holds an auditorium, library, classrooms, labs, studios, a blueprint room, and a tool room. Following an addition in 1951, and the construction of Bell Engineering Center in 1987, the original Engineering Hall is now used primarily for small classes.
Agriculture Building
The Agriculture Building at the University of Arkansas was completed in 1927 in the collegiate gothic style. The building at first hosted six departments, a library, and offices. The Agriculture Building and Engineering Hall were built at the same time in the same style, as part of the 1925 master plan. Upon completion of the new Plant Sciences building, the original Agriculture Building currently houses the agribusinessAgribusiness
In agriculture, agribusiness is a generic term for the various businesses involved in food production, including farming and contract farming, seed supply, agrichemicals, farm machinery, wholesale and distribution, processing, marketing, and retail sales....
and economics
Economics
Economics is the social science that analyzes the production, distribution, and consumption of goods and services. The term economics comes from the Ancient Greek from + , hence "rules of the house"...
, agricultural and extension education, agricultural communications, and entomology departments.
Chi Omega Greek Theatre
Amphitheatre
An amphitheatre is an open-air venue used for entertainment and performances.There are two similar, but distinct, types of structure for which the word "amphitheatre" is used: Ancient Roman amphitheatres were large central performance spaces surrounded by ascending seating, and were commonly used...
, built to replicate the Theatre of Dionysus
Theatre of Dionysus
The Theatre of Dionysus is a major open-air theatre and one of the earliest preserved in Athens. It was used for festivals in honor of the god Dionysus...
. Chi Omega
Chi Omega
Chi Omega is a women's fraternity and the largest member of the National Panhellenic Conference. Chi Omega has 174 active collegiate chapters and over 230 alumnae chapters. Chi Omega's national headquarters is located in Memphis, Tennessee....
donated the theatre to the University, and president John C. Futrall accepted the gift on June 28, 1930, in accordance with the 1925 Jamieson and Spearl master plan. Chi Omega was founded at Arkansas in 1895. It has served host for concerts, pep rallies, commencements, and classes.
Chi Omega Greek Theatre Landscape
The landscape around the Chi Omega Greek Theatre includes shade trees, hedges, and scenic lawns. From the lawn, downtown Fayetteville is visible. The Theatre and Landscape augment each other, together making a historic landscape.Vol Walker Hall
Rush Rhees Library
Rush Rhees Library is the main academic library of the University of Rochester in Rochester, New York. It is one of the most visible and recognizable landmarks on the university's River Campus. Construction began in 1927 with the other original River Campus buildings and the library was dedicated...
at the University of Rochester
University of Rochester
The University of Rochester is a private, nonsectarian, research university in Rochester, New York, United States. The university grants undergraduate and graduate degrees, including doctoral and professional degrees. The university has six schools and various interdisciplinary programs.The...
, the University of Arkansas obtained Public Works Administration
Public Works Administration
The Public Works Administration , part of the New Deal of 1933, was a large-scale public works construction agency in the United States headed by Secretary of the Interior Harold L. Ickes. It was created by the National Industrial Recovery Act in June 1933 in response to the Great Depression...
funding to build the building in the Classic Revival
Neoclassicism
Neoclassicism is the name given to Western movements in the decorative and visual arts, literature, theatre, music, and architecture that draw inspiration from the "classical" art and culture of Ancient Greece or Ancient Rome...
form. The building has also housed the School of Architecture
University of Arkansas School of Architecture
The Fay Jones School of Architecture at the University of Arkansas offers education in various architectural fields. In recent years, 100 percent of graduates have achieved placement in both jobs and graduate programs after graduation.-Degrees:...
since the construction of Mullins Library in 1968.
Chemistry Building
The Chemistry Building was built in 1935 to replace a smaller chemistry building. It was constructed using Public Works AdministrationPublic Works Administration
The Public Works Administration , part of the New Deal of 1933, was a large-scale public works construction agency in the United States headed by Secretary of the Interior Harold L. Ickes. It was created by the National Industrial Recovery Act in June 1933 in response to the Great Depression...
funding in conjunction with Vol Walker Library as part of the 1925 master plan. The university also outgrew this Chemistry Building, and a new building was added by skywalk in 1992.
Gibson Hall
Gibson Hall, originally Razorback Hall is a women's residence hallDormitory
A dormitory, often shortened to dorm, in the United States is a residence hall consisting of sleeping quarters or entire buildings primarily providing sleeping and residential quarters for large numbers of people, often boarding school, college or university students...
on the University of Arkansas campus. Gibson Hall was originally a men's residence hall, and the three-story brick building was named Razorback Hall. Following a 1963 remodeling, the building became an upper-tier women's dormitory. In 1981, it was renamed posthumously for James L. Gibson, the late University housing director.
Gibson Annex
The Gibson Annex is the accompanying dining hall for Gibson Hall. Originally named Razorback Dining Hall, it was renamed Gibson Annex when the hall was renamed. The dining hall was constructed in the Collegiate Gothic style by Wittenberg & Deloney of Little Rock, completed in 1937.Former Men's Gymnasium
The Men's Gymnasium was built in 1937 using PWA funds by Haralson & Nelson. Using light brick and limestone, the building was built in the Collegiate Gothic style. It could hold 3,500 patrons as a stadium and 7,500 as an auditorium. It housed Arkansas Razorbacks basketball until the construction of Barnhill ArenaBarnhill Arena
Barnhill Arena is a 10,000-seat multipurpose arena in Fayetteville, Arkansas, now used primarily for volleyball. The arena opened in 1954 and was home to the University of Arkansas Razorbacks and Ladybacks basketball teams before they moved to Bud Walton Arena in 1993...
in 1954, the physical education department unitl 1982, and the university museum unitl 2003. It now contains the Arkansas Center for Space and Planetary Sciences
Arkansas Center for Space and Planetary Sciences
The Arkansas Center for Space and Planetary Sciences is a research center on the University of Arkansas campus in Fayetteville, Arkansas.-About the Space Center:...
.
Memorial Hall
Futrall Memorial Hall, usually just Memorial Hall, originally Student Union at the University of ArkansasUniversity of Arkansas
The University of Arkansas is a public, co-educational, land-grant, space-grant, research university. It is classified by the Carnegie Foundation as a research university with very high research activity. It is the flagship campus of the University of Arkansas System and is located in...
is a building on the University's campus in Fayetteville, Arkansas
Fayetteville, Arkansas
Fayetteville is the county seat of Washington County, and the third largest city in Arkansas. The city is centrally located within the county and is home to the University of Arkansas. Fayetteville is also deep in the Boston Mountains, a subset of The Ozarks...
. The building was added to the National Register of Historic Places
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 September 1992 as Student Union Building-University of Arkansas, Fayetteville.
History
President John C. FutrallJohn C. Futrall
-External links:*...
identified a need for a student union
Student union
Student union may refer to:* Students' union, or student government in the U.S., a student organization at many colleges and universities dedicated to student governance...
on campus and began charging students a $2 "student union fee" on their bill. That fee, coupled with Public Works Administration
Public Works Administration
The Public Works Administration , part of the New Deal of 1933, was a large-scale public works construction agency in the United States headed by Secretary of the Interior Harold L. Ickes. It was created by the National Industrial Recovery Act in June 1933 in response to the Great Depression...
funding, resulted in the construction of Memorial Hall, which at the time was named Student Union. On September 12, 1939, Futrall was killed in an automobile accident, and the Board of Trustees passed a resolution to change the name to Futrall Memorial Hall. The building was still referred to as the Student Union, despite the motion.
The grand building was opened in March 1940, and featured a bookstore, restaurant, post office
Post office
A post office is a facility forming part of a postal system for the posting, receipt, sorting, handling, transmission or delivery of mail.Post offices offer mail-related services such as post office boxes, postage and packaging supplies...
, confectionery
Confectionery
Confectionery is the set of food items that are rich in sugar, any one or type of which is called a confection. Modern usage may include substances rich in artificial sweeteners as well...
, and a large ballroom
Ballroom
A ballroom is a large room inside a building, the designated purpose of which is holding formal dances called balls. Traditionally, most balls were held in private residences; many mansions contain one or more ballrooms...
with bandshell
Shell (theater)
In theater, a shell is a curved, hard surface designed to reflect sound towards an audience.Often shells are designed to be removable, either rolling away on wheels or flying into a flyspace...
. The second floor had offices for The Arkansas Traveler
The Arkansas Traveler (newspaper)
The Arkansas Traveler is the student newspaper of the University of Arkansas. It is printed four times a week and has an online edition that is updated daily....
(the student publication). The building remained as it was for ten years, until a large three story addition was finished to provide better food services. Upon completion of the Arkansas Union in 1973, Memorial Hall became home to the psychology
Psychology
Psychology is the study of the mind and behavior. Its immediate goal is to understand individuals and groups by both establishing general principles and researching specific cases. For many, the ultimate goal of psychology is to benefit society...
department, and many of the rooms were converted to classrooms. It also gained the Landscape Architecture and Air Force ROTC departments.
The Board of Trustees again changed the name to Memorial Hall in 1973, which is how it is known today. The building still houses the three listed departments to this day.
Features
Memorial Hall's interior contains many art decoArt Deco
Art deco , or deco, is an eclectic artistic and design style that began in Paris in the 1920s and flourished internationally throughout the 1930s, into the World War II era. The style influenced all areas of design, including architecture and interior design, industrial design, fashion and...
features from the period of construction, including large lights near the steps of the north enterance and lots of sleek lines. The floors feature repeating patterns typical of art deco contsruction and the staircases appear streamlined and modern. At the west enterance to the building stand two large, mature trees. One is a Bald Cypress
Taxodium distichum
Taxodium distichum is a species of conifer native to the southeastern United States.-Characteristics:...
and the other a Southern Magnolia. Both trees date to the time of Memorial Hall's construction.
Ozark Hall
Home Economics Building
See also
- Campus of the University of Arkansas - lists the thirteen non-contributing buildings on campus and some on-campus monuments.
- History of the University of ArkansasHistory of the University of ArkansasThe History of the University of Arkansas began with its establishment in Fayetteville, Arkansas, in 1871 under the Morrill Act, as the Arkansas Industrial College. Over the period of its nearly 140 year history, the school has grown from two small buildings on a hilltop to a university with...
- a complete history of the U of A - University of ArkansasUniversity of ArkansasThe University of Arkansas is a public, co-educational, land-grant, space-grant, research university. It is classified by the Carnegie Foundation as a research university with very high research activity. It is the flagship campus of the University of Arkansas System and is located in...
- John C. FutrallJohn C. Futrall-External links:*...
- University president responsible for the construction of many of the early buildings - David Mullins - University president responsible for many of the newer buildings listed above
- The National Register of Historic PlacesNational Register of Historic PlacesThe National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
- the list this district is listed on