Lawrence University Buildings of the Past Digital Collection
About the collection
In 1849, Lawrence University constructed its first building, the Academy, which served as a dormitory, recitation hall, and chapel. Since that time, the college has built or purchased many buildings of all sizes to enhance academic, athletic, and residential life on campus. Today's Lawrence University campus consists of over 20 academic, administrative, and athletic facilities; eight residence halls and sixteen small halls or houses; and Lawrence's "northern campus" in Door County, Björklunden.
This digital collection commemorates the history of Lawrence's buildings of the past. Whether they were a part of Lawrence's campus for less than a decade or nearly a century, they represent a diverse array of functions and architectural styles that helped shape the development of the college to its modern presence.
Click on the building name to access the digital collection.
Academy Constructed in 1849 at a cost of $7,000, the Academy was located on the northwest corner of Durkee and Lawrence Streets. This site was later occupied by the Peabody Conservatory and is currently occupied by the Appleton YMCA. The building was destroyed by fire in 1857.
Preliminary work was done on the new building in the fall of 1848, and during the summer of 1849 the building took shape. When completed that October, it measured 20 by 70 feet with a lower story of stone and two stories and an attic of wood.
Alexander Gymnasium I Constructed in 1901, the first Alexander Gymnasium was located where Youngchild Hall currently is. The building was razed in 1963 to make room for Youngchild Hall.
The Lawrence Board of Trustees decided to erect a "first-class gymnasium" in the fall of 1889. In November 1900, $2,000 was collected or pledged in the Methodist Church in Appleton. Soon after this, Lewis M. Alexander, chairman of Lawrence's Board of Trustees, promised $5,000, but as late as April 1901, only $10,000 had been raised. Excavation of the new building was completed by June 1901, and the gymnasium was dedicated on November 19, 1901. Around this time, trustees and others donated funds, and thus the building was cleared of debt.
After the construction of the "new" Alexander Gym across the Fox River in 1929, the first Alexander Gym was called the little gym, campus gym, or women's gym, since most physical classes for women were held there. Final exams were held in this gym until the introduction of the honor code. Seats were assigned, and the room was proctored by faculty members.
Barracks and Quonsets These housing units were built on the Lawrence campus next to Memorial Chapel and Carnegie Library beginning in 1946. The units were created to provide housing for World War II veterans attending Lawrence and their families. The facilities were razed around 1955.
Carnegie Library Constructed in 1906, Carnegie Library cost $54,000 to build. It was located on the site of the current Seeley G. Mudd Library. Carnegie was destroyed in April 1974 to make room for the new Mudd library.
The architects of the Carnegie Library were Van Ryn and De Gelleke of Milwaukee. Construction began in September 1905 and with some interruption during the winter, continued for about a year. Andrew Carnegie was the chief donor of funds for the library.
The building measured about 75 by 100 feet and had a basement and two stories. The University offices were established in this building in the summer of 1909. In the early 1920s, classes in art, the Bible, and German were taught on the second floor and politics and accounting, in the basement.
In 1906, the library held 22,754 volumes, including 900 books in the Jones Memorial Library. In 1974, the library contained approximately 190,000 volumes.
Hamar Union Construction date of Hamar Union is unknown, Lawrence used the house as Hamar Union from 1926-1951. The house was then used as faculty apartments from 1953-1960. Hamar Union was located on the corner of Union Street and College Avenue, the site that is currently occupied by Plantz Hall. Hamar Union was destroyed in 1960 to make room for Plantz Hall.
Hamar Union was named in memory of Olive Hamar, who died while still a student on March 22, 1925, of meningitis following an appendix operation. She thought the college needed a "hospitality house." About $2,000 was raised through student pledges to start and furnish Hamar House. By the following fall the house -- "a place where college men and girls might meet to enjoy certain privacy and sociability not offered in the dormitory reception hall," as the committee delicately phrased it -- was ready.
With the completion of Memorial Union in 1951, Hamar Union was remodeled and used for faculty apartments until it was razed in 1960.
Ice Chapel Constructed in December 1932 and December 1933, the Ice Chapel was located on the Main Hall green. The first ice chapel was 18-19 feet long, 10 or 15 feet high, and thatched with evergreens. The chapel was built with 35 tons of ice donated by Lutz Ice Company, and it featured interior lighting.
The second ice chapel, built in December 1933, was designed by Appleton architect Raymond N. LeVee. Louis Baker, Lawrence professor of modern languages, informed the Lawrentian that the measurements were proportionally almost that of La Sainte Chapelle in Paris built in 1248 by St. Louis.
LeVee's chapel was 26 feet long and 14 feet wide, not including the buttresses which made it 21 feet wide. The ice, from Lutz Ice Company, was in units measuring 10"x22"x58" and weighed 435 pounds. The total amount of ice used was 65 tons. The roof, like the first chapel, was evergreens. The builders were men hired by the Association of Commerce sponsored by the Appleton Post-Crescent. It was lit by 22,000 watts of red, white, and blue lights.
Peabody Hall of Music Constructed in 1909, Peabody Hall was located on the northwest corner of Durkee and Lawrence Streets, formerly occupied by the Academy building and currently occupied by the Appleton YMCA. The hall was built at a cost of $15,000, and it was destroyed in 1959 after the Conservatory moved to the newly completed Music-Drama Center.
George F. Peabody gave $12,000 to build Peabody Hall, and his daughter Emma increased this contribution to a total of $18,000. The architect of the building was H. H. Waterman of Chicago. The building measured 60 by 90 feet, and its principal feature was a recital hall seating about 400 people. Construction on the building began in the fall of 1909, and its dedication took place April 12, 1910.
Stephenson Hall Constructed in 1898, Stephenson Hall was located on the site currently occupied by Science Hall. The building was remodeled in 1948, and it was destroyed to make room for Science Hall in July 1998. The building was named in honor of Isaac Stephenson who contributed $15,000 for its construction.
Underwood Observatory Constructed in 1891, the observatory was located west of Sampson House, on the verge of the river bluff; on the site that is currently occupied by Youngchild Hall of Science. The building cost $14,500 to build and was destroyed in 1962 to make room for Youngchild Hall.
The outside dimensions of the building were 28 by 32 feet. It was named for Professor of Astronomy and Mathematics L. Wesley Underwood, who raised the funds to erect the building.
Worcester Art Center Constructed in 1950, Worcester was located on the site of the current Wriston Art Center. It cost $280,000 to build, and it was destroyed in 1987 to make room for Wriston Art Center.
The Worcester Art Center was named for the Chicago couple, Charles and Mary Worcester, who donated $260,000 of the $280,000 building fund. The building was razed as there was a need for a bigger facility for Lawrence's art collection and program.
