Texas Tech University Archives
Below are historical tidbits on various Texas Tech campus buildings and structures.  Also, the Board of Regents minutes show a progression in how TTU buildings and structures have evolved. Several campus maps have been digitized and are accessible here.

Campus Buildings & Structures - M

Medicine, School of

• On December 3, 1971, the TTU School of Medicine was moved from its temporary housing in Business Administration into a newly renovated space in Drane Hall.
• Medical School Groundbreaking Ceremony oral history interview (1973)

Museum

• Dr. William Curry Holden was appointed the first Director of Museum in 1938.
• The Museum's dedication events took place on November 13-14, 1970 and included a dedication of the Moody Planetarium, guest speakers Frank A. Taylor, George Mahon and Martin Dies, and a flag ceremony.

Music

• The new building was dedicated on May 13, 1952. A tour of the building and formal concert was part of the ceremony.
• The University Center/Music Facility was dedicated at 7 p.m. on Sunday, January 23, 1977.
• The dedication of the Gene Hemmle Recital Hall was held on October 2, 1979, and was accompanied by a recital by Emilia Simone and William Westney.

Campus Buildings & Structures - P

• The following buildings were deemed unnecessary and were turned over for disposal:  Building No. 6- Administration; Building No. 8- Cafeteria; Building No. 9- Barrack; and Building No. 29- Barrack. (BOR 11/7/53 item 454)
• A lease with the Amarillo College District was approved for the use of the Administration, Cafeteria and two barrack buildings at PanTech Farms in zone 1 for an on-site Vocational Training Center. (BOR 4/18/56 item 1015)

Pharmacy, School of

• The Health Sciences Center School of Pharmacy opened its Abilene campus officially on August 12, 2007. The building was 36,000 square feet and done in Spanish-styled architecture.

• A permanent Power House and associated utility tunnel system was authorized by the Texas Legislature in 1931. The building was razed in 1998 when energy demands far exceed its output. The single decorative medallion, representing a modification to the military engineering symbol, that had been over its arched entrance was relocated to the Frazier Pavilion.

• Board approved spending $245 to alter Building X-% to house the Department of Psychology (BOR 8/12/50 item 3067)

Campus Buildings & Structures - R

• Ranching Heritage Center Dedication oral history interview(1976)
• The dedication of the Ranching Headquarters took place on October 3, 1970, and preceded the dedication of the Texas Tech Museum's Moody Planetarium and other formal opening events in November.

Rip Griffin Park

• A $5 million renovation to the Dan Law Field at the newly named Rip Griffin Park was celebrated with its official opening in February 2012.

Campus Buildings & Structures - S

• Built in 1938, the dormitory cost an estimated $345,133 to build.
• The second dormitory building, originally called "Men's Residence Hall No. 2," was named the "Joe T. Sneed Hall" in 1941. (BOD 11/15/41)

Social Sciences Building

• The groundbreaking for the new Social Sciences Building, which would house six College of Arts and Sciences departments' office and classroom space, was held on May 23, 1974. The estimated cost for the structure was $4,465,000. (TTU press release 9-5-21-74)

Southwest Collection/Special Collections Library

• $14,000 was appropriated to carry out the Board of Directors' order to move, set up and operate the Southwest Collection in the Museum Building. (BOR 7/9/55 item 1433)
• The SWC's ten millionth donated item was a file copy of a letter to President Franklin D. Roosevelt from Judge Marvin Jones of Amarillo. It was received in 1977.

Spitz Planetarium

• The West Texas Museum Association agreed to pay for a small building east of the Museum was remodeled for the installation of a Spitz Planetarium at the estimated cost of $3,000-3,500. In the proposal, it was pointed out that only two units were available in Texas at the time, one in Houston and one in Fort Worth, and both were quite successful. (BOR 11/2/52 item 372)

Stangel/Murdough Hall- Dormitory

• Built in 1964, the dormitory cost an estimated $3,971,394 to build.

Stock Judging Pavilion and Living Quarters

• The building was officially designated as completed on June 9, 1951 at an estimated cost of $1,994,93 (BOR 8/11/51 item 1365)

Stock Union Building (Student Union Building or SUB, also formerly called the University Center or "UC")

• After over five years of renovation, the Student Union Building had it's official grand opening on 8/6/06.
• James G. Allen oral history interview (1983)- development of the SUB
• The University Center/Music Facility was dedicated at 7 p.m. on Sunday, January 23, 1977.

Campus Buildings & Structures - T

• Due to tight funding from the State and an expected enrollment of 20,000 students, TTU purchased from Sheppard Air Force Base at Wichita Falls, Texas, 19 temporary buildings to be used for classroom and office space.  TTU paid $1 for each building, which were then each renovated to accommodate 120 students.
• Five of these buildings were used for the new Law School and Law Library and were placed near the Plant Sciences Building and the west of the Science Building. (IS release 7-8-2-66)

• Built in 1958, the dormitory cost an estimated $2,705,120 to build.

Traffic and Parking - Entry Stations

• Approved in February of 1966 by the Board of Regents, the four entry stations were officially opened on April 14, 1966.  The locations were:  Station 1 at the Broadway entrance west of Gordon, Station 2 at the 15th Street entrance to the Drane Hall parking lot, Station 3 at 17th and Boston, and Station 4 across from the 15th Street Meats Lab.  The hours for the station ran from 7:15 a.m. to 3:15 p.m. (IS release 17-4-14-66)

Campus Buildings & Structures - V

• The building was officially designated as completed on May 31, 1951 and cost $11,517,25 (BOR 8/11/51 item 1365)

Campus Buildings & Structures - W

• Built in 1963, the dormitory cost an estimated $3,450,001 to build.
• Opened in 1965, the dorm was named after C. I. "Stoney" Wall, a former member of the TTU Board of Directors.

Weeks Hall- Dormitory

• Designation of Margaret Watson Weeks Dormitory, #733, 12-14-57
• Tech Women's Dorm No. 5 was designated "Weeks Hall" in honor of Margaret Watson Weeks. (Toreador, December 17, 1957)
• Built in 1958, the dormitory cost an estimated $1,730,520 to build.

West Hall- Dormitory

• Built in 1934, the dormitory cost an estimated $326,713 to build.
• Originally called the Men's Dormitory No.1, the first dormitory building was named "J. M. West Hall" in 1941 (BOD 11/15/41)
• Approved housing of college athletes in Men's Dormitory No. 1, (BOD 5/9-5/10/49)
• Approved set up for the housing of athletes in Men's Dormitory no. 1, effective September 1, 1949 (BOD 5/30/49)

Weymouth Hall- Dormitory

• The building was named after Chanslor E. Weymouth, who was one of the founders of the Boys' Ranch at Tascosa.

Wiggins Hall- Dormitory

• The building, named after Texas Tech President Dossie M. Wiggins, was conceived to be a six-tower $17 dormitory complex at 19th and Flint.  Three of the towers were scheduled to be completed by September, 1967, with the other three towers to be finished by the fall of 1969. (IS release 18-5-28-66)
• Each tower was expected to house 572 students and would be 11 stories tall. (IS release 32-2-12-66)
• The Wiggins Conference Housing and Dining Center was dedicated in March of 1968.

Will Rogers Statue

• The statue was dedicated on February 16, 1950.

*IS = Information Services, which later was known as University News and Publications. The department is now called Marketing and Communications. 

*PI = Public Information, was another name used at one time for University News and Publications. The department is now called Marketing and Communications. 

*BOD/BOR = Board of Directors/Board of Regents minutes

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