Brief building histories

Note: This list contains only information pertaining to buildings constructed for Lawrence University. Information on houses or other structures which Lawrence purchased from private owners and repurposed for university use is not included.

 

Building name Date constructed Purpose Destroyed? Other information
Academy 1849 All-purpose 1857, fire Located where the YMCA is presently
Main Hall 1853 Original: all-purpose college building. Current: academic.   On National Register of Historic Places
Sampson House 1881 President’s residence until 1956. Administrative use since then.    
Ormsby Hall 1889 Residence hall    
Underwood Observatory 1891 Academic 1964 Razed to make room for Youngchild Hall
Stephenson Hall of Science 1898 Academic 1998 Razed to make room for Science Hall
Alexander Gym I 1901 Athletics 1960s Razed to make room for Youngchild Hall
Carnegie Library 1906 Academic 1974 Had an addition in 1962, known thereafter as the Samuel Appleton-Carnegie Library
Peabody Hall of Music 1909 Conservatory 1959 Located where the YMCA is presently. Razed after Music-Drama Center was built.
Brokaw Hall 1910 Original: Residence hall. Current: residence hall and administrative    
Sage Hall 1917 Residence hall    
Memorial Chapel 1918 Conservatory    
Alexander Gym II 1928-1929 Athletics   First Lawrence building on the south side of the Fox River.
Fraternity quadrangle houses 1941 Residences    
Worcester Art Center 1950 Academic 1987 Razed to make room for Wriston Art Center
Memorial Union / Memorial Hall 1951 Original: student life. Current: academic/administrative   Known as “Memorial Hall” and used for academic purposes since the Warch Campus Center was built in 2009
Colman Hall 1956 Residence hall    
Music-Drama Center 1959 Conservatory    
Plantz Hall 1961 Residence hall    
Trever Hall 1963 Residence hall    
Youngchild Hall 1963-1964 Academic    
Banta Bowl 1965 Athletics   Originally known as the Lawrence Bowl, renamed Banta Bowl in 1978
Kohler Hall 1967 Residence hall    
Downer Commons / Hurvis Center / Alice G. Chapman Hall 1968 Original: cafeteria. Current: administrative and academic   Cafeteria until the Warch Campus Center opened in 2009, name changed to Hurvis Center for administrative offices and Film Studies, name changed to Alice G. Chapman Hall in 2016
Seeley G. Mudd Library 1974-1976 Academic   Demolished and replaced the Carnegie Library side and retained the addition from 1962
Buchanan Kiewit Recreation Center / Wellness Center 1986 Athletics    
Wriston Art Center 1989 Academic    
Shattuck Hall 1991 Conservatory   Addition connecting Music-Drama Center and Memorial Chapel
Briggs Hall 1997 Academic    
Science Hall / Steitz Hall 2000 Academic   Renamed Steitz Hall in 2010
Hiett Hall 2003 Residence hall    
Warch Campus Center 2009 Student life, multi-purpose