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.

Campus Buildings- A

• The laying of the cornerstone took place on November 11, 1924, before a crowd of 20,000 people.  Governor Pat Neff, standing on a cotton bale, addressed the crowd.  Other speakers included Amon G. Carter, Reverend E. E. Robinson, Colonel E. O. Thompson, and Representative R. M. Chitwood.
• Placed in the corner stone was a time capsule containing such items as the bylaws and member roster of the local Masonic Lodge, various newspapers, a certified copy of the Senate Bill which established the college, and a list of the Texas Tech Board of Directors.
• On the north side of the building is an inscription of a King Solomon quotation- "Righteousness exalteth a nation, but sin is a reproach to any people."
• On the north side are the words "agriculture, science, manufacturing, democracy, homemaking, art and literature," which describe the endeavors of the college.
• On the archway of the north side are the words "patriotism, religion, industry, virtue, wealth, enlightenment, and citizenship," which represent the goals students should strive towards.
• On the archway on the south side are the names of 15 people who were thought to embody the ideals of the school officials.  The names include Benjamin Franklin, Luther Burbank, St. Paul, Pestalozzi, Plato, Aristotle, Homer, Shakespeare, Hippocrates, Beethoven, and Michaelangelo.
• The Gallery of Heroes, located on the second floor of the north side, depict images of Christopher Columbus, George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, Robert E. Lee, Woodrow Wilson, James Hogg, Albert Sidney Johnston, Davy Crockett, Stephen F. Austin and Sam Houston.
• In 1975, the ornamental spire on the west tower was replaced after being hit by lightening.

• November 5, 1968, the general construction contract for $4,260,718 was awarded to H. A. Lott, Inc. for two buildings- the architecture building would be 12 stories tall with a "U" shaped, three story tall art building adjacent to it on the east side.

Army Reserve Training Center

• George E. Benson was appointed to represent the Board of Directors at the February 22, 1956, ground breaking ceremony for the Army Reserve Training Center, which would be located at the northwest corner of the City Auditorium-Coliseum.  The land was leased to the Texas National Guard Armory Board. (BOR 2/11/56 item 736)

Campus Buildings- B

• Built in 1948, the dormitory cost an estimated $1,786,163 to build.

• The groundbreaking was held on June 29, 1967 at 10:30 a.m.

Bookstore

• Built in 1955, the Building Committee recommended proceeding with plans to enlarge the bookstore by approximately 8,000 square feet at an estimated cost of $100,000. (BOR 2/11/56 item 733)

• Prior to 1966, the old horse barns and corrals once inhabited the site of what later became the Business Administration building. (IS 3-12-13-66)
• Dedication ceremonies for the new $4.5 million BA facility, located at 15th and Flint, was held on October 6, 1969.

Campus Buildings- C

• Built in 1959, the dormitory cost an estimated $2,604,351 to build.

Cheri Casa- Dormitory

• Cheri Casa, a men's dormitory, officially opened in 1926 with a Spanish-themed party, replete with music by Chuck Collins and his Cheri-Casans.
• The building was a Spanish style white stucco structure located about half a block from campus on Main Street. It boasted having large rooms, hot and cold water, a roof garden and adjacent barber and tailor shops and drug store.

Chemistry

• Groundbreaking ceremonies for the $5.5 million addition to the chemistry building were held on October 25, 1968. The new structure comprised of 125,600 square feet and included an auditorium that seated 300.

Chitwood/Coleman/Weymouth Hall- Dormitory

• Built in 1967, the dormitory cost an estimated $18,000,000 to build.

Clement Hall- Dormitory

• Officially opened on September 14, 1963 and initially referred to as "Dorm Six".

Civil Engineering

• Groundbreaking ceremonies were held on October 8, 1969, for the new $990,000 laboratory addition, located just east of the Civil and Mechanical Engineering Building.

College Inn- Dormitory

• College Inn was a women's dormitory.

Campus Buildings- D

• Built in 1934, the dormitory cost an estimated $313,168 to build.
• In 2002, Doak was changed from an upper-classman and graduate co-ed dormitory to an all male residence.

• B. A. Brady oral history interview (1980)- designing the Double T Bench

• The senior class of 1938 donated a electric neon Double T sign which was placed in Memorial Circle until its move to Jones Stadium.

Drane Hall- Dormitory

• Built in 1938, the dormitory cost an estimated $371,428 to build.
• In 1952, Drane became a men's dormitory. (Texas Techsan 3/50)
• For the 1954-55 school year, Drane Hall was approved for use by female students. (BOR 4/12/54 item 1218)

Campus Buildings- F

• The construction of a fountain to the newly named Amon G. Carter Plaza at the Broadway entrance was approved by the Board of Regents.  The funding for this marker shared by the Saddle Tramps, who raised $11,500, and the university, which picked up the remainder of the $32,600.
• Original plans for the 75 foot fountain with of seven 30 foot water sprays that would surround and enhance the Tech Seal. (IS 15-10-18-66)

Campus Buildings- G

• Opened in 1963, Gates was named after W. B. Gates, former Dean of the Graduate School.  It was one of the first air conditioned dorms on the Texas Tech campus.

• The buildings was officially designated as completed on August 31, 1951, at an estimated cost of $8,366,94.  The contractors were Lord and Burnham Construction Corporation, Irvington-on-Hudson, New York City, New York. However, TTC completed construction of the lighting. (BOR 8/11/51 item 1365)

• Approved the preparation of schematic plans for a Gymnasium for Men of approximately 65,000 square feet, plus a full size swimming pool and a Gymnasium for women of approximately 20,000 sqaure feet. (BOR 8/21/54 item 1961)

Campus Buildings- H

• Built in 1948 and referred to initially as "Girls Dorm III," the dormitory cost an estimated $1,787,115 to build.

• Holden Hall oral history interview (1972)- dedication ceremony
• Carol Collier oral history interview (undated)- Peter Hurd mural

Hulen/Clement Hall- Dormitory

• Built in 1964, the dormitory cost an estimated $3,124,008 to build.

Campus Buildings- I

• Also originally referred to as the Multicultural Services Center and the Lubbock International Cultural Center.  It began as the Lubbock International Cultural Center (LICC) and was incorporated on September 26,  1986. On September 15, 1988, it received 501(c)(3) status from the Internal Revenue Service.  In the November of 1991 meeting, the Texas Tech Board of Regents agreed to offer a campus location at 4th Street and Indiana Avenue.

Campus Buildings- J

• Haynes and Kirby, Architects and Engineers, were accepted to work on the proposed addition. (BOR 5/26/52 item 1147A)
• Tidmore Construction Company's contract to work on the proposed additions to the Stadium were approved. (BOR 9/27/52 item 172)

Campus Buildings- L

• See Temporary Classroom and Office Buildings [below] for information about the earliest Law School structures.

• The first books were donated by Clifford B. Jones in 1924.
• Tech's first librarian, Elizabeth Howard West, was hired in May  of 1925.
• When the Library was moved into its new building, it was officially named the "James V. Allred Library," (BOR 7/16/38)
• A copy of the invitation and program for the "Laying of the Cornerstone of the New Library Building," dated March 8, 1938, can be found in the Charles Eatherly Collection. James Allred, then Governor of Texas, gave an address at the event.

Lubbock Municipal Coliseum

• The committee report on the proposed City Auditorium-Coliseum included recommendations such as two proposed sites, a deed containing a reversion of title clause, city operation and maintenance of the building, and conformation of architectural design to the rest of the campus. (BOR 11/1/52 item 370)
• The bill authorizing conveyance of a tract of land not to exceed 7 1/2 acres was approved for the site of the new City Auditorium-Coliseum. (BOR 2/12/53 item 758)

Campus Buildings- K

• Construction on KTXT-TV began in the spring of 1962 and it first began airing on October 16, 1962.
• Until July 1963, all the station's programming was on film. Afterwards, TTU received a videotape recorder and $10,000 worth of recording tape, thus allowing for viewing of programming from other educational television stations.
• 99 students were enrolled in the first semester of the station's television instruction courses. (IS release 1-1-22-66)

Campus Buildings- M

• Mass Communications Building Dedication oral history interview (1976)

Len and Harriet McClellan Infirmary

• Motion was made to approve the construction of the first unit of a Student Services Building and the Butler-Brasher Company was chosen as the architects. (BOR 11/7/53 item 454)
• The location for the Infirmary was set to be east of the Student Union building and across the street south of the College Bookstore. (BOR 4/12/54 item 1202)
• The preliminary plans submitted by architects Butler-Brasher Company were approved. (BOR 8/21/54 item 1970)
• A memorial gift by Mrs. Len McClellan was offered for the naming of the building. (BOR 11/1/52 item 364)
• Construction bids were publicly opened and read on February 11, 1955. (BOR 2/12/55 item 766)
• W. G. McMillan and Son was awarded the contract for the infirmary building. (BOR 2/12/55 attachment 8)

• Medical School Groundbreaking Ceremony oral history interview (1973)

Museum

• Dr. William Curry Holden was appointed the first Director of Museum in 1938.

Campus Buildings- 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)

• 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.

Campus Buildings- R

• Ranching Heritage Center Dedication oral history interview (1976)

Campus Buildings- S

• Built in 1938, the dormitory cost an estimated $345,133 to build.

• $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)

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

Campus Buildings- 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 1948, 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- 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- 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
• 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.

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)

Will Rogers Statue

• The statue was dedicated on February 16, 1952.

*IS = Information Services, which is now known as University News and Publications.

*BOR = Board of Regents minutes

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