Campus Beginnings: 1890-1940

If a bird's-eye view had been made during the first decade after the college was founded, it would have shown flat plowed prairie with a house on it and, later, a brick building (left). This was Old Central; classes were held in local churches until it opened in 1894.

In 1894, a wooden walkway led from Old Central toward town, which was half a mile away (left). The large, two-level College Barn (right), shown here in 1902, was west of the original campus, and was used by the experiment station. To the south of the barn was the college pond; what is now the campus' scenic landmark Theta Pond.

Williams Hall (right) was constructed in 1900 and served as the library and as classrooms. Named the "castle of the prairies" due to its unique architecture (designed by Joseph P. Foucart) highlighted by turrets and spires, it remained standing until 1969.

The map on the left was drawn by Harry G. Hoke, Class of 1907, as part of a 1904 class assignment. The only building depicted on the map to survive the passage of time is Old Central.

Morrill Hall (right), completed in 1906, was the newest and largest agricultural facility in the territory and became the principal building on campus. The main entrance was to the second floor with massive steps and classical columns marking the entrance. A fire gutted the building in 1914, but the outside structure survived intact, and the interior was reconstructed. The Civil Engineering Building is to the left in the photograph.

The Women's Building (left), the first women's dormitory on campus, was completed in 1911. It contained a kitchen, dining hall, some classrooms, and a women's gymnasium. Similar to Morrill Hall, the main entrance was by way of steps leading to the main floor, almost one-story above ground level. Also similar to Morrill, the Women's Building suffered a major fire in 1914 which damaged the top floors. The building is now known as the Bartlett Center for the Studio Arts and houses the Gardiner Art Gallery. The College Auditorium (to the right in the photograph) was completed in 1912. It stands on the site now occupied by the Seretean Center for the Performing Arts.

This aerial view (left) shows the OAMC campus in 1919. The center of campus is surrounded by Morrill Hall, the Central Building, the Engineering Building (now Gunderson Hall), and the Auditorium. To the north of Morrill is the Armory-Gymnasium (now the Architecture Building), and to the west of the Engineering Building is the Power Plant.

Henry G. Bennett (right), president of Oklahoma A. and M. College from 1928 to 1951, developed a twenty-five year campus master plan, which included new buildings, renovations and removal of old buildings, and a standardized architectural style, usually called "modified Georgian." The beauty and architectural integrity of today's campus owes a great debt to Bennett.

This view of campus (right) from about 1950 shows the campus before the major shift that occurred with the construction of the Edmon Low Library and Student Union. In the background are the dormitories, North and South Murray Hall and Willard Hall, as well as Whitehurst Hall and Engineering Hall South. Next to Old Central is the old Library building.