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HomeMy WebLinkAboutWilson Hall (24GA1891)_final MONTANA HISTORIC PROPERTY RECORD For the Montana National Register of Historic Places Program and State Antiquities Database Montana State Historic Preservation Office Montana Historical Society PO Box 201202, 1410 8 th Ave Helena, MT 59620-1202 Property Address: Montana State University Campus Arthur Street between 8 th & 9 th Ave Historic Address (if applicable): City/Town: Bozeman Site Number: 24GA1891 (An historic district number may also apply.) County: Gallatin Historic Name: Classroom - Office Building Original Owner(s): Montana State University Current Ownership Private Public Current Property Name: Wilson Hall Owner(s): Montana State University - Administration Owner Address: 201 Main Hall / PO Box 172440 Bozeman, MT 59717-2440 Phone: 406-994-2001 Legal Location PM: Montana Township: 2S Range: 5E SE ¼ NW ¼ NE ¼ of Section: 13 Lot(s): Block(s): 22 Addition: Capital Hill Year of Addition: 1890 USGS Quad Name: Bozeman Year: 1987 Historic Use: Classrooms, Offices, Lecture Halls Current Use: Same Construction Date: 1974 Estimated Actual Original Location Moved Date Moved: UTM Reference www.nris.mt.gov/topofinder2 NAD 27 or NAD 83(preferred ) Zone: 12 Easting: 496237 Northing: 5057185 National Register of Historic Places NRHP Listing Date: Historic District: Montana State University-Bozeman HD NRHP Eligible: Yes No Date of this document: December 31, 2012 Form Prepared by: Jessie Nunn / Consultant Address: 600 Meadowlark Lane, Livingston, MT 59047 Daytime Phone: 406-208-8727 MT SHPO USE ONLY Eligible for NRHP: yes X no Criteria: A B C D Date: 10/21/13 Evaluator: Kate Hampton Comments: Due to age, currently a non-contributing resource within the MSU-Bozeman HD. MONTANA HISTORIC PROPERTY RECORD PAGE 2 Architectural Description Property Name: Classroom - Office Building Site Number: 24GA1891 ARCHITECTURAL DESCRIPTION Architectural Style: Other: If Other, specify: Late Modern Property Type: Education Specific Property Type: Classrooms, Offices, Lecture Halls Architect: Architectural Firm/City/State: CTA / Billings, MT Builder/Contractor: Company/City/State: Martel Construction Co. (general) / Bozeman, MT; 4G Plumbing & Heating (mechanical) / Missoula, MT; Yellowstone Electric (electric) / Billings, MT Source of Information: University Records, 74-001 Wilson Hall Setting and Location Wilson Hall is located in the heart of the northern half of the Montana State University campus. Montana Hall sits immediately to the southwest, with Leon Johnson Hall to the west, Alumni Plaza and the Chemistry & Bio-Chemistry Building to the northwest, Herrick Hall to the northeast and Hamilton Hall to the south. Further north and northeast are the mid-20 th century dorms, Lewis & Clark Hall and Hapner Hall. Open space and a small parking lot sit between these dorms and Wilson Hall. Wilson Hall and the surrounding buildings represent a wide range of construction periods (1896-2007) and a variety of architectural styles including Collegiate Gothic, Mission and Renaissance Revivals, Modern and Neo- Eclectic. However, beginning with Hamilton Hall in 1911 and continuing with Leon Johnson Hall and Wilson Hall in the early 1970s, an effort was made on this side of campus to compliment Montana Hall aesthetically, especially in color (red) and exterior materials (brick). Introduction Wilson Hall, completed in 1974, was designed in the Late Modern style by the Billings, MT architectural firm, CTA (formerly Cushing, Terrell & Associates). It is a flat-roofed, two-and-one-half story reinforced concrete building clad in a running bond of red brick that sits on a poured concrete foundation with a partial, exposed basement in the northwest corner. A thick band of darker red bricks, also in a running bond, under the roofline emphasized the top of the building. It displays a “U” shaped footprint with its opening on the south elevation and a large landscaped courtyard. The building site is almost square, measuring 265’ north/south and 245’ east/west. All three wings measure 65’ wide, but vary in length due to a 60’ x 40’ cutout in the northeast corner of the building. As such, the west wing is the only wing that extends the entire length of the building (245’), while the east wing measures only 180’ long and the north wing only 225’ long. The east wing turns the corner west on its southern end, creating a 20’ long “foot”. A 115’ long elevated walkway supported by a central stair tower connects the south ends of the east and west wings. On the northwest corner of the building, the basement story protrudes outward beneath the first and second stories, creating a 12’ wide deck extending about 103’ along the north elevation and a 20’ wide deck extending approximately 65’ along the west elevation. A second story deck spans the inner corner of the northeast cut-out. Overall, the second story of Wilson Hall’s elevations are largely symmetrically with evenly-spaced fenestration patterns, while the first and basement stories are characterized by asymmetrical series of deeply recessed panels, which either contain entrances, windows, or are completely devoid of fenestration. As such, it stylistically relates to Brutalism, although considering its brick façade and low profile, it is a highly-restrained example. South Elevation The south elevation of Wilson Hall has three main sections: the southern ends of the east and west wings and the elevated walkway. While it appears symmetrical, the south end of the east wing measrues 20’ longer than that of the west wing. The latter displays two recessed entrances with solid metal doors below brick panels centered in its first story with a large recessed brick panel to the east. The second story contains six windows openings arranged in a 1, 2, 2, 1 pattern. The single-light, bronze-colored aluminum casement windows are deeply recessed and have soldier course brick lintels and precast brick paver sills. The sills slant upward from the wall surface to the window at a greater than 45˚ angle. The longer south end of the east wing is similar, with two large recessed brick panels centered in its first story. Single metal doors are situated in the outer corners of these panels. Rounded concrete pads extend outward from the entrances. The second story has seven deeply recessed casement windows in a 1, 2, 2, 2 pattern with the easternmost window situated in the west end of an elongated panel. Unless otherwise specified, all recessed window openings contain bronze-colored, single-light aluminum casement windows with soldier course lintels and slanted precast paver brick sills like those found on both ends of the south elevation. An elevated walkway supported by a central stair tower connects the east and west wings. The outer walls of the walkway are clad in buff-colored stucco and capped by a stylized metal railing of long sections of rungs framed within round- cornered rectangles. The stair tower consists of a thick brick wall on its south side and a rounded brick structure MONTANA HISTORIC PROPERTY RECORD PAGE 3 Architectural Description Property Name: Classroom - Office Building Site Number: 24GA1891 protecting the staircase on the north side. Rowlock bricks in a stack bond create the curvature of northern stair tower wall. A flat roof protects the northern stair tower structure. West Elevation The west elevation (the exterior side of the west wing) is two-and-one-half stories, with a protruding basement level on its northern end made possible by the slope of the site. Louvered vents and a deeply recessed entrance are found at the basement level. Above the basement is the first story deck, which displays the same railing as the elevated walkway on the south elevation. About 60’ from the northern end of the west elevation, the deck becomes concave before transitioning into a brick retaining wall that sits about 20’ from the building and extends another 60’ south. The central portion of the first story (behind the retaining wall) exhibits five deeply recessed panels with sidewalls that slant inward: a central panel containing two solid metal doors flanked by large empty panels and then smaller panels. Farther south are two recessed panels with long nine-light aluminum window units in their upper portions. The windows, which are not depicted in the architectural plans or discussed in the construction specifications, may have been added later. A recessed entrance bay is located just to south of these windows. Its northern third contains a brick panel, with the entrance being more deeply recessed. The entrance consists of double aluminum-frame glass doors with one sidelight to north, two sidelights to the south and a transom. Eleven pairs of evenly spaced recessed casement windows are located in the second story. North Elevation A protruding basement story is also found along the western half of the northern elevation. The northwest corner of this story is punctured by a louvered vent, and a series of five recessed windows and entrances are found to the east before the wall meets grade. From east to west, the recessed panels contain a single metal door on the north-facing side wall, three stationary single light windows with slanted precast paver sills and an entrance with an aluminum-frame glass door, sidelights and transom. The stationary windows may have replaced the original two light units with a casement widow like those found on the west end of this elevation’s second story. Above the basement level is the 12’ wide first story deck, which continues around the corner from the west elevation with the same railing. Five recessed panels are located in the western portion of the first story. Four panels are large, with the first and third from the east containing single solid metal doors, while the western panel is smaller and contains two full-height windows. The eastern portion of the first story has two smaller recessed panels flanked by larger recessed panels. The smaller, central panels contain single solid metal doors on their inner sides that share a protruding curved concrete pad identical to those on the south end of the east wing. Eight pairs of evenly spaced casement windows are centered in the second story of this elevation. These are flanked by a pair of windows, with the outer opening containing a casement window and a long stationary light, and a single casement window on the outer ends of the elevation. The northeast corner of the building is open on the first story and the second stories of the northern and eastern wing are connected by a 20’ wide interior corridor. A second-story deck, with the same railing found throughout the building, cuts across the inner corner of the 40’ x 60’ corner cutout. The second story of the north wing’s east end is exposed by the cutout. Two pairs of casement windows puncture its outer portion, while an entrance with a single aluminum-frame glass door and large sidelight are found on its south end. Also exposed is the second story of the east wing’s north end. It contains a similar door allowing access to the deck to the east and a pair of casement windows to the west. East Elevation Seven recessed panels are centered in the east elevation’s first story. The southernmost contains an entrance with double aluminum-frame glass doors and transom. Moving north, the fourth and sixth panels contain single solid metal doors with their own protruding curved concrete pads, similar to those on the north and south elevations. Eight pairs of evenly-spaced casement windows are flanked by a single casement window on the second story. Courtyard Elevations Wilson Hall’s inner courtyard has three main elevations (on the north, east and west) and a short south elevation created by the foot of the east wing. Fenestration on the latter is limited to two second-story casement windows and a single first- story recessed brick panel. The protruding west-facing wall of the east wing’s foot has an entrance at the end of the elevated walkway with a single aluminum-frame glass door and a large sidelight. An identical entrance is found at the west end of the walkway. The east wall of the courtyard has five pairs of casement window flanked by single windows on its second story and a series of five large recessed panels across its first story. All lack fenestration except the southernmost, which contains a double aluminum-frame door and transom. North of the elevated walkway, the second story of the courtyard’s west wall has a single casement window followed by six pairs of casement windows. The first story has five recessed panels, with the southernmost containing a deeply-recessed entrance with double aluminum-frame glass doors, sidelights and a transom to the south and a full-length window wall to the north. MONTANA HISTORIC PROPERTY RECORD PAGE 4 Architectural Description Property Name: Classroom - Office Building Site Number: 24GA1891 The northwest and northeast corners of the courtyard both incorporate diagonally-oriented entrances. A second-story deck (similar to that found on the outer northeast corner of the building) cuts across the inner northwest corner of the building. An aluminum-framed glass door with a large sidelight on the north end of the east wall accesses the deck. Below the deck is an all-glass southeast facing entrance, with double aluminum-frame glass doors and a transom flanked by two full-length glass panels. The entrance is reached by a short set of concrete steps and a triangular landing. The opening of the first story on the northeast corner of Wilson Hall provides access to the courtyard. There is a northwest-facing entrance to the first story of the east wing reached by a short set of concrete stairs and a triangular landing. The entrance contains double aluminum-frame glass doors with sidelights and a transom. Directly across from this entrance, the wall is concave with a two tier concrete siting area. Two decorative concrete cylinders with convex tops are centered in the concrete floor of the seating area. These short cylinders, all of unequal heights and diameters, are also found around the corner in front of the north courtyard wall’s eastern window wall. They represent Wilson Hall’s only ornamentation and provide a welcome sense of whimsy to the otherwise austere building. Between the diagonal entrances, the first story of the courtyard’s north wall is dominated by six recessed panels. The second panel from the east contains a deeply-recessed entrance with double aluminum-frame glass doors, side lights and a transom to west and two large glass panels above a short brick wall to the east. Four large glass panels above a short brick wall are found in the easternmost recessed panel. Both widow walls have slanted rowlock brick sills. The second story of the courtyard’s north wall contains six pairs of casement windows flanked by a single casement window. The heavily landscaped courtyard contains a large selection of mature trees, many which predate the construction of Wilson Hall. Curvilinear concrete walks lead to various building entrances and radiate outward from a southeast facing concrete amphitheater. Slightly sloped or mounded lawns are found between the more naturalistic center of the courtyard and the building. Wrought iron benches with a vaguely Victorian design were recently placed throughout the courtyard. MONTANA HISTORIC PROPERTY RECORD PAGE 5 History of Property Property Name: Classroom - Office Building Site Number: 24GA1891 HISTORY OF PROPERTY Development of Montana State University Campus Montana State University was founded on February 16, 1893 (four years after statehood) as Montana’s land grant college under the Morrill Act of 1862. It holds the distinction of being Montana’s first legislatively-created public university, with the University of Montana in Missoula created the following day. Initially called the Agricultural College of the State of Montana, the new college was situated on a 200-acre site, part of which had been platted as the Capital Hill Addition in a (failed) bid for the State Capital. Bozeman citizens raised funds to purchase half the land, and Gallatin County donated the other half, which included the County poor farm. The first purpose-built building on campus was the Agricultural Experiment Station (Taylor Hall) constructed in 1894. Main Hall (or Montana Hall), the centerpiece of the campus, was completed in 1898. The construction of the Neo-classical Revival style Agricultural Building (Linfield Hall) in 1907 further illustrated the primary role of agriculture at Montana State. In 1913, the college was renamed the Montana State College of Agriculture and the Mechanic Arts (MSC). The college anticipated a period of expansion after World War I, and contracted with Montana architect, George Carsley, and nationally-known landscape architect, Cass Gilbert, to develop a campus plan, now known as the “1917 George Carsley / Cass Gilbert Plan.” This plan, which exhibited a formal Beaux-Arts symmetry, was adopted by the Montana State Board of Education in 1920 and guided campus development until the outbreak of World War II. Its implementation was assisted by a $5 million bond to fund building development programs on all of Montana’s campuses. At MSC this resulted in the construction of several Italian Renaissance Revival buildings, including Roberts Hall, Traphagen Hall, Lewis Hall, Harrick Hall, Romney Gymnasium and the Heating Plant. MSC continued to grow and evolve during the Great Depression and World War II. This was spurred in part by the growth of the Extension Service under the New Deal’s Agricultural Adjustment Administration, an increase in unemployed students who enrolled in the years from 1932 to 1939 and expanded military training (including a flight school) during World War II. The 1935 “Quads,” a women’s dormitory financed through the Works Progress Administration, and the oldest portion of the Student Union, completed in 1940, were the era’s most significant additions to campus. Both were designed by Bozeman architect, Fred F. Willson, in the Tudor Revival style. Slight deviations from the 1917 George Carsley / Cass Gilbert Plan during the mid-1940s resulted from a desire for new buildings alongside a need to curb paving and heating costs by reducing the space between buildings. Along with colleges and universities across the nation, MSC expanded to accommodate students attending college under the “GI Bill” after World War II. The square footage of campus buildings doubled in the following decades. At this time, further departures occurred from the 1917 George Carsley / Cass Gilbert Plan as growth demanded expansion beyond its boundaries and within its open spaces. The Renne Library (1949) and the small Danforth Chapel (1952), MSC’s first Modern style building, were the era’s earliest additions to campus but several others followed during the 1950s and early 1960s. Four Mid-Century Modern dormitories were added to the northern end of campus and new academic buildings, including Reid Hall and the Math-Physics Building (AJM Johnson Hall), were erected in open spaces south of Garfield Street. Several older buildings also received significant Modern style additions, including Linfield and Lewis Halls. The result of this new construction was a campus showcasing a dynamic blend of revivalist and modernist styles. The college was re-named Montana State University (MSU) in 1965, and the high-rise dormitories (Hedges and Roskie Halls) that would symbolize the modern era were completed by 1967. More buildings were added in the 1970s as MSU replaced all of its temporary frame buildings with permanent structures. Growth slowed during the 1980s through the beginning of the 21 st century in the core campus area, although a few new buildings (Visual Communications, the EPS Building and the Chemistry & Biochemistry Building) were added. Many older buildings have also undergone significant alterations in recent decades. Perhaps the greatest addition to campus during the contemporary period was Centennial Mall along what was once Garfield Street. In providing a strong east-west linear focus, the well-landscaped pedestrian mall was actually a return to the axial arrangement of 1917 George Carsley / Cass Gilbert Plan. Today, the MSU campus represents a blend of early formal planning, post-war expansion and contemporary buildings that respond to current needs. It offers an excellent example of the evolution of campus planning in Montana. (Burlingame, in passim; Painter, Montana Property Record Form for Langford Hall.) MONTANA HISTORIC PROPERTY RECORD PAGE 6 History of Property Property Name: Classroom - Office Building Site Number: 24GA1891 A Permanent and Walkable Campus: The 1968-1974 Building Campaign In 1965, Montana State College became Montana State University (MSU), and over the next decade the campus grew to reflect its loftier name. Between 1964 and 1967 the Hedges Dormitory Complex, which included two high-rise dormitories and a round food service building, and Roskie Hall, a futuristic clover-shaped dormitory, were constructed at the very southwestern corner of campus across 11 th Avenue. The modern aesthetic and elevated skyline of these buildings symbolized just how grown-up Montana State had become. However, expanding outward and upward would not be enough to keep pace with the University’s growth. Enrollment increased from about 4,000 in 1960 to nearly 9,000 by 1975, and in 1965 MSU’s leaders decide changes to the campus’s core—including new construction, the renovation of some older buildings and the demolition others, and the establishment of a network of paved walkways—was necessary to complete a modern, pedestrian campus. (MSU Website, Enrollment History; Classroom-Office Building EIS, 2) MSU’s campus architect, Andy Van Teylingen, and building coordinator, William Johnstone, introduced the new campus plan to students in the February 1968 Exponent article, “Buildings to Blossom at MSU.” Among other projects, the plan included the construction of an Engineering Science Complex, a Life Science Building and an Arts Center. Johnstone also called for a “pedestrian campus,” which would be created through an, “eight minute circle” with administrative buildings (Montana Hall and the newly-renovated Hamilton Hall) surrounded by general academic buildings, then professional schools and finally residence halls. A pedestrian campus, according to Johnstone, would also require the abandonment of all roads through campus in exchange for paved walkways to serve both pedestrians and emergency vehicles. ( Exponent, 2/16/1968). Eventually the plan would also include a new Classroom-Office Building and a Nursing Building within the campus core area, as well as a Heath & Physical Education Complex, a new Football Stadium and housing for married students. A secondary goal of the plan was the, “razing of all the wooden buildings in the academic core of campus,” which included the Montana Hall Annex, a pair of World War I-era barracks near the Wool Lab and Bridger Hall, which housed Nursing and Health and Physical Education. (Classroom-Office Building EIS, 2). The frame buildings, which had always been seen as temporary solutions to MSU’s space and housing shortages, simply did not fit within the modern university campus envisioned by Van Teylingen, Jonhstone and University President Leon Johnson. Such an ambitious building campaign naturally provided plentiful challenges and stirred occasional controversy. Funding the projects, for instance, proved difficult during the Vietnam War, but MSU cobbled together sufficient state and federal funding to complete all of its major construction projects by 1974. Unfortunately for the administration, however, several projects proceeded slowly, either due to insufficient funds or engineering problems. The confrontational mood of students during the social upheaval of the Vietnam-era only exacerbated negative perceptions of the building campaign. When revealed in early 1972 that the 7 th and 8 th floors of the Life Science Building (Leon Johnson Hall) would remain unfinished due to lack of funds and that its foundation had a settling problem, two sophomores published a poem titled “Unfinished” in the Exponent . Their poem revealed the frustration surrounding MSU’s construction woes, and included verses such as, “Leaning dorms, floating floors, have come to MSU. No you haven’t had too much Coors / These things happen yes they do,” and “Unfinished Reid, unfinished Library, unfinished Life Sciences Building, too. Will they ever complete a whole building by 1982?” ( Exponent , 2/29/1972). Even the Classroom-Office Building, completed without incident, could not escape criticism, with the Exponent lamenting the loss of campus’s “most beautiful lawn” and pointing out the building’s resemblance to the latest in “prison architecture.” ( Exponent , 1/28/1975). Van Teylingen addressed the challenges and criticisms in the Fall of 1973, telling the Exponent there was more good news to be found in, “Montana State University’s most ambitious building program in history,” than bad news. ( Exponent , 9/20/1973). Indeed, the 1968-1974 building campaign did achieve its goals. It transformed the campus from one still partially dependent on temporary structures and bisected by streets to a more permanent and pedestrian-friendly environment. While the campaign did result in some lamentable losses, most notably in open space and architectural unity, it undeniably brought Montana State University into the modern era. Since that time only three major buildings have been added to the core area of campus: the Visual Communications Building (1983), the Engineering and Physical Sciences Building (1997), which replaced the Ryon Laboratories, and the Chemistry and Biochemistry Building (2007). Classroom-Office Building (Wilson Hall) By the late 1960s, the Mathematics, Sociology, English and History, Government and Philosophy departments at MSU were in desperate need of new quarters. All were temporarily housed in dormitories, except for the Mathematics department, which was temporary housed in the Library. Furthermore, MSU had a shortage of general classroom space, meaning it fell short of the space standards set by the Montana Board or Regents. (Classroom-Office Building EIS, 2). MONTANA HISTORIC PROPERTY RECORD PAGE 7 History of Property Property Name: Classroom - Office Building Site Number: 24GA1891 The solution was a two-story, 80,000 square foot, U-shaped building to be constructed in the large open area north of Hamilton Hall and southwest of Herrick Hall. When completed, the building was slated to house 1900 classroom stations, 160 teaching laboratories, 60 graduate assistant spaces, 100 student carrels and 120 faculty offices. (Memorandum, 1/29/1971). Approval for the project had been granted by the Montana Legislature in 1969 and $2,940,620 in state funds was appropriated in 1971. In addition, MSU was given permission to use up to $450,620 in revenue not needed to repay the 1963 bond issue. (Board or Education, Minutes, 9/13/1971). CTA, the same Billings architectural firm responsible for the Life Sciences Building (Leon Johnson Hall), was selected to design the Classroom-Office Building, which would be the final component of the 1968-1974 building campaign. The National Environmental Policy Act became law in 1970, requiring MSU to produce a detailed Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the project. Completed in August of 1972 by University Architect, Andy Van Teylingen, the EIS concisely explains the reasoning behind the siting and overall design of the Classroom-Office Building. For instance, the color and texture of the face brick was selected to closely match that used for Montana Hall and the Leon Johnson Hall. The proximity to the center of campus was necessary because a majority of students, especially undergraduates, would be enrolled in general mathematics, humanities and social sciences classes as opposed to more specialized fields like art, engineering and music, which were relegated to the outer ring in the “8-minute circle plan.” The planning committee also took great care to preserve the existing trees found within the proposed site, designing the building’s courtyard around the vast majority of them and replanting younger trees elsewhere. According to Van Teylingen the design yielded still more benefits, claiming “that portion of the site which is formed into a court becomes more useful…because the climate of Bozeman is such that by providing protection from the wind and a place the sun can warm, the amount of time outdoor space can be used is increased,” and that, while changed, the pedestrian experience would be improved with, “the opportunity to walk though as pleasant an environment as before yet now protected from the elements.” (Classroom- Office Building EIS, 2-4). While not all agreed with Van Teylingen, there is no denying the effort put into the building’s design by campus planners, the architects and even the campus community, who were invited to participate in a planning charette during the early phase of process. ( Missoulian , 4/6/1973). Construction began in April of 1973, with Martel Construction Company of Bozeman receiving the general contract, 4G Plumbing & Heating, Inc. of Missoula, Montana receiving the mechanical contract and Yellowstone Electric of Billings, Montana receiving the electrical contract. ( Missoulian , 4/6/1973). Unlike much of the 1968-1974 building campaign, the construction of the Classroom-Office Building went smoothly. By September, Van Teylingen reported: Little can be said about this one’s progress that is not enthusiastic. The building is progressing at a rate that is beyond our fondest dreams and as of this moment no problems exist that will impede the building’s progress. Its completion schedule is such that we are to occupy it winter quarter of 1975. If, however, the present rate of progress continues, we will move in autumn quarter 1974. ( Exponent , 9/20/1973). In fact, the Classroom-Office building was finished on schedule in late 1974 and $377,947 under budget. (Financial Recap, 2/3/1975). Initial reactions to the building were mixed with the same Exponent correspondent who called the building a good example of “prison architecture,” claiming, “The CLOB does serve its main purpose but I am yet to hear anyone favor the design of the building. Maybe there is a student out there who likes it.” ( Exponent , 1/28/1975). The building’s numerous lounges, however, seemed to be more popular. The same Exponent article that lambasted the building’s design also featured a photo of students utilizing the lounge space and on March 10, 1975 The Montana Standard of nearby Butte, Montana published a similar photograph. Despite its under-appreciated design, the Classroom- Office Building (now Wilson Hall) has served MSU well since its completion. It currently houses classrooms and offices for many College of Letters & Sciences departments as well as the Writing and Math Centers, the Local Government Center and the Native American Center. (MSU Website, “Wilson Hall). CTA (Cushing, Terrell and Associates) The Billings firm of Cushing & Terrell, also known as Cushing, Terrell and Associates, is now called CTA. Cushing & Terrell was founded in 1938, when partners Ralph Cushing and Everett Terrell joined forces. Ralph Henry Cushing was born in Dillon, Montana on January 16, 1903. He was educated at Montana State College, from which he received a Bachelor of Science degree in Architecture in 1927. He went on to earn a Bachelor of Science degree in Architectural Engineering from the University of Michigan in 1932. He worked for others, apprenticing in architecture and engineering, before establishing the firm of Cushing, Terrell and Associates in 1938. Cushing’s partner Edwin O. Terrell was born in MONTANA HISTORIC PROPERTY RECORD PAGE 8 History of Property Property Name: Classroom - Office Building Site Number: 24GA1891 Billings, Montana on February 11, 1908. He was educated at the University of Washington, where he earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Architecture in 1931. His first listed architectural employment was with Cushing, Terrell and Associates. Cushing, Terrell and Associates had an established reputation in Montana at mid-century, based on extensive work in the areas of education (schools and university buildings) and healthcare (hospitals and related structures). They also designed numerous buildings for state and local governments. Additional building types undertaken by the firm included commercial structures and resort developments. When faced with a downturn in the education market in 1966, the firm re- organized and expanded. Today, CTA is a multi-disciplinary firm with sixteen offices throughout Montana and six other western states. Their office, constructed in 1958, was located across N. 27th Street from the Eastern Montana College (now Montana State University—Billings) campus, just south of the Physical Education Building. Notable buildings designed by the firm include several buildings on the Montana State University—Billings campus; buildings for the Midland Empire Fairgrounds in Billings; Highland Elementary School and Shrine Auditorium in Billings; the hospital in Red Lodge; the Dude Rancher Lodge in Billings; the Veteran’s Hospital in Miles City; Deaconess Hospital in Billings; and the Montana Crippled Children’s Association Rehabilitation Center in Missoula; among many others. (Taken in its entirety from Painter, 49). In addition Wilson Hall, Cushing, Terrell and Associates also designed a number of other buildings on the Montana State University campus, including Hannon Hall (1955), Hapner Hall (1959), Reid Hall (1959), Leon Johnson Hall (1973) and the Visual Communications Building (1983). More recently, CTA has undertaken the renovation of campus buildings including the Brick Breden Field House Renovation (1998) and Renne Library (2003). MONTANA HISTORIC PROPERTY RECORD PAGE 9 Information Sources/Bibliography Property Name: Classroom - Office Building Site Number: 24GA1891 INFORMATION SOURCES/BIBLIOGRAPHY Building Master List. Physical Plant Records, Montana State University. “Buildings to Blossom at MSU,” The Exponent , 16 February 1968. “Committee Designs Bozeman Building,” The Missoulian , 6 April 1973. CTA. “[Specifications for] Classroom/Office Building, Montana State University,” c. 1972. University Records, 74-0001. “Financial Recap: Classroom Office Building,” 3 February 1975. University Records, 74-0001. Gardner, William M. and Paul O. Dillon. “Unfinished,” The Exponent , 29 February 1972. Johnstone, William A. “Memorandum, MSU Classroom-Office Building,” 29 January 1971. University Records, 74-0001. Montana Board of Education. “Board Meeting Minutes, September 13-14, 1971.” University Records, 74-0001. Montana State University. “Fall Head Count Enrollment History, 1893 to Present,” Website accessed online at http://www.montana.edu/opa/facts/headhist.html . Montana State University. “Wilson Hall,” Website accessed online at http://calendar.msu.montana.edu/locations.php?building=19&ref=map . Painter, Diane J. “Langford Hall, Montana Property Record Form,” July 18, 2010. Montana State Preservation Office. Pollock, Brian. “CLOB Resembles Prison,” The MSU Exponent , 28 January, 1975. Van Teylingen, Andy. “Classroom-Office Building, Enviromental Impact Statement,” August 28, 1972. University Records, 74-0001. Van Teylingen, Andy. “Campus Construction: First the Good News….,” The Exponent , 20 September 1972. “Wall to Couch carpet prvide a comfortable place to hit the books…,” Montana Standard (Butte, MT), 10 March, 1975. MONTANA HISTORIC PROPERTY RECORD PAGE 10 Statement of Significance Property Name: Classroom - Office Building Site Number: 24GA1891 NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES NRHP Listing Date: NA NRHP Eligibility: Yes No Individually Contributing to Historic District Noncontributing to Historic District NRHP Criteria: A B C D Area of Significance: Period of Significance: STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE Wilson Hall does not currently contribute to the Montana State University-Bozeman Historic District due to age. Completed in 1974, it is too recent to fall within the district’s period of historical and architectural significance, 1893-1968. However, it is a significant example of Late Modern architecture on campus, reflecting many features of Brutalism. It is also an integral component of the 1968-1974 building campaign, which transformed a MSU campus still partially dependent on temporary buildings to a more permanent and pedestrian-friendly environment. Its contributing status should be reconsidered in future amendments or expansions of the Montana State University-Bozeman Historic District. MONTANA HISTORIC PROPERTY RECORD PAGE 11 Integrity Property Name: Classroom - Office Building Site Number: 24GA1891 INTEGRITY (location, design, setting, materials, workmanship, feeling, association) Wilson Hall displays good overall integrity. While some windows have been replaced on the ground level, the building retains a vast majority of its original materials, as well as its original design and footprint. It also retains its original location and its historic setting remains largely intact. As of today, the building readily conveys its future architectural significance as an example of Late Modern architecture on campus and its historical significance as an integral component of the 1968-1974 building campaign. MONTANA HISTORIC PROPERTY RECORD PAGE 12 Photographs Property Name: Classroom - Office Building Site Number: 24GA1891 Wilson Hall South Elevation, Facing: NE Montana State University Jessie Nunn, October 7, 2012 MONTANA HISTORIC PROPERTY RECORD PAGE 13 Photographs Property Name: Classroom - Office Building Site Number: 24GA1891 Wilson Hall South Elevation, Elevated Walkway with Stair Tower, Facing: N Montana State University Jessie Nunn, November 3, 2012 MONTANA HISTORIC PROPERTY RECORD PAGE 14 Photographs Property Name: Classroom - Office Building Site Number: 24GA1891 Wilson Hall West Exterior Elevation, Facing: NE Montana State University Jessie Nunn, October 7, 2012 MONTANA HISTORIC PROPERTY RECORD PAGE 15 Photographs Property Name: Classroom - Office Building Site Number: 24GA1891 Wilson Hall North Exterior Elevation, Facing: SE Montana State University Jessie Nunn, October 7, 2012 MONTANA HISTORIC PROPERTY RECORD PAGE 16 Photographs Property Name: Classroom - Office Building Site Number: 24GA1891 Wilson Hall Northeast Corner (Exterior), Facing: SW Montana State University Jessie Nunn, October 7, 2012 MONTANA HISTORIC PROPERTY RECORD PAGE 17 Photographs Property Name: Classroom - Office Building Site Number: 24GA1891 Wilson Hall East Exterior Elevation, Facing: SW Montana State University Jessie Nunn, October 7, 2012 MONTANA HISTORIC PROPERTY RECORD PAGE 18 Photographs Property Name: Classroom - Office Building Site Number: 24GA1891 Wilson Hall Elevated Walkway with Stair Tower (Interior Courtyard), Facing: SE Montana State University Jessie Nunn, October 7, 2012 MONTANA HISTORIC PROPERTY RECORD PAGE 19 Photographs Property Name: Classroom - Office Building Site Number: 24GA1891 Wilson Hall West Wall of Interior Courtyard, Facing: NW Montana State University Jessie Nunn, October 7, 2012 MONTANA HISTORIC PROPERTY RECORD PAGE 20 Photographs Property Name: Classroom - Office Building Site Number: 24GA1891 Wilson Hall North Wall Entrance of Interior Courtyard, Facing: N Montana State University Jessie Nunn, October 7, 2012 MONTANA HISTORIC PROPERTY RECORD PAGE 21 Photographs Property Name: Classroom - Office Building Site Number: 24GA1891 Wilson Hall East Wall and South Wall of Interior Courtyard, Facing: SE Montana State University Jessie Nunn, October 7, 2012 MONTANA HISTORIC PROPERTY RECORD PAGE 22 Photographs Property Name: Classroom - Office Building Site Number: 24GA1891 Wilson Hall Northeast Corner Passage to Interior Courtyard, Facing: SW Montana State University Jessie Nunn, October 7, 2012 MONTANA HISTORIC PROPERTY RECORD PAGE 23 Site Map Property Name: Classroom - Office Building Site Number: 24GA1891 MONTANA HISTORIC PROPERTY RECORD PAGE 24 Topographic Map Property Name: Classroom - Office Building Site Number: 24GA1891