Landlocked Ships on a Weed-Covered Sea

President's Home, West Cottage, and East Cottage. Looking northwest in 1894. The cottages are two years old; the President's home is newly completed. Photo courtesy Special Collections, University of Arizona Library President's Home, 1894 N-6605
President's Home, West Cottage, and East Cottage. Looking northwest in 1894. The
cottages are two years old; the President's home is newly completed. Photo courtesy
Special Collections, University of Arizona Library President's Home, 1894 N-6605

 

When the University opened for classes in October 1891, there were a few other necessary structures on campus as two out-houses, a well, pump-house and water tank. East Cottage and West Cottage were under construction. In 1893, the President's residence was built. The above 1894 picture, gives the impression that the three buildings are floating on a sea of weeds. If the photographer had used a filter, the distant mountains could be seen.

President's Home, built in 1893. In 1937 it was tom down to become the site for Gila Hall.

East Cottage 1892-1936. Until 1913 it was a women's or faculty residence, then changed to classrooms. Demolished for construction of Yuma Hall.

West Cottage 1892-1920. Women's and faculty housing in various years. In 1920 demolished for construction of Maricopa hall. In April 1990, G.E.P. Smith, Jr., recalled he was born in West Cottage as this was his parent's residence in 1904. They had built a home on Speedway and soon moved there.

North Hall 1896. A dormitory until 1940 then remodeled for the College of Business and Public Administration. Destroyed in 1957, it is now the site of the Geosciences building. A look at the campus map (below) will explain why North Hall was east of East Cottage.

 

East Cottage and small out-building to right necessary because of lack of indoor plumbing. LFM
East Cottage and small out-building to right necessary because of lack
of indoor plumbing. LFM
Campus map 1901 shows why North Hall is east of East Cottage. Drawn by student surveyor R. L. Drane, this map was used until 1908 in the Register (the class list and schedule book). It is reproduced from Louise Foucar's 1902-03 copy.
Campus map 1901 shows why North Hall is east of East Cottage. Drawn by student
surveyor R. L. Drane, this map was used until 1908 in the Register (the class
list and schedule book). It is reproduced from Louise Foucar's 1902-03 copy.
North Hall, built in 1896. Must be warm weather as the curtains are flying outside the upstairs windows. In the open doorway is a silhouette of a young woman in a long dress with a then fashionable bustle. It was a women's dorm in 1900-01 when Miss Foucar was in charge of the hall. It had a dining room, kitchen and twenty rooms and forty students. LFM
North Hall, built in 1896. Must be warm weather as the curtains are flying outside the
upstairs windows. In the open doorway is a silhouette of a young woman in a long dress
with a then fashionable bustle. It was a women's dorm in 1900-01 when Miss Foucar was
in charge of the hall. It had a dining room, kitchen and twenty rooms and forty students. LFM
Tom Marshall took this photo of South Hall ~1900. Compare it to the picture below and note the size of the trees.
Tom Marshall took this photo of South Hall ~1900. Compare it to the
picture below and note the size of the trees.
South Hall, built in 1899. A men's dorm until 1925; known as Apache Hall 1920/21-1926/27 and renamed Music Hall 1927/28. In 1958 became the site of the Home Economics building. In 1964 Arizona Hall; next building to the west was renamed South Hall. Tom took this picture about 1910 because there are no trees in earlier photographs. [more about Apache Hall] TKM
South Hall, built in 1899. A men's dorm until 1925; known as Apache Hall 1920/21-1926/27
and renamed Music Hall 1927/28. In 1958 became the site of the Home Economics building.
In 1964 Arizona Hall; next building to the west was renamed South Hall. Tom took this picture
about 1910 because there are no trees in earlier photographs. [more about Apache Hall] TKM

 

There were other buildings on campus; in 1897 the Shop and Assay Building was built. A source of funding was the commercial assay work carried on in a small brick building located between Old Main and North Hall. In 1900 it was expanded and re-named Manual Training and had space for wood-working shop, mechanic arts laboratory (with anvils, blacksmith forges and lathes) and mechanical drawing or drafting classes that enrolled both men and women students. These drawing classes had the largest class size of any subject taught on campus; one reason for this was no other drawing or art training was offered on campus at that time.

Other buildings included a barn, buggy house, small buildings necessary because of the lack of indoor plumbing, greenhouses and a pump and water tank; a large building called the mining annex was attached to the northeast side of Old Main. In 1902 a brick building was built for a dining hall (now the site of the Student Union bookstore).

 

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