Goddard Hall, originally known as Goddard Gymnasium, is a historic academic building on the campus of

Tufts University Tufts University is a private research university on the border of Medford and Somerville, Massachusetts. It was founded in 1852 as Tufts College by Christian universalists who sought to provide a nonsectarian institution of higher learning. ...

Medford, Massachusetts Medford is a city northwest of downtown Boston on the Mystic River in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States. At the time of the 2020 U.S. Census, Medford's population was 59,659. It is home to Tufts University, which has its campus alo ...

. Built in 1883 and designed by

George Albert Clough George Albert Clough (May 27, 1843 – December 30, 1910) was an architect working in Boston in the late 19th-century. He designed the Suffolk County Courthouse in Pemberton Square, and numerous other buildings in the city and around New Engl ...

, it was originally built to serve Tufts students as a gymnasium. In 1892, the building was remodeled and in 1930, the building was handed over to the

Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy The Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy is the graduate school of international affairs of Tufts University, in Medford, Massachusetts. The School is one of America's oldest graduate schools of international relations and is well-ranked in it ...

for use as a library.

Description

Goddard Hall was originally built as a three story rectangular brick building with arched windows. The south and east facade were highly altered from the original design but still contain the same motif of arched windows and

egg-and-dart Egg-and-dart, also known as egg-and-tongue, egg-and-anchor, or egg-and-star, is an Ornament (architecture), ornamental device adorning the fundamental quarter-round, convex ovolo profile of molding (decorative), moulding, consisting of alternating ...

molding of the original section. The 1892 facade also makes extensive use of

Meander A meander is one of a series of regular sinuous curves in the channel of a river or other watercourse. It is produced as a watercourse erodes the sediments of an outer, concave bank ( cut bank) and deposits sediments on an inner, convex bank ...

motifs in the corner quoins. Biblioteca Ginn

History

Prior to construction, students would exercise by using an open-air gym behind West Hall. Announcement of construction of Goddard Hall came at the same time as that of the

Barnum Museum of Natural History The Barnum Museum of Natural History was a natural history museum on the grounds of Tufts University in Medford, Massachusetts. The museum was established by P.T. Barnum and displayed valuable exotic dead animals from his circus. His greatest pri ...

. The building was built with funds from Mary T. Goddard who also assisted in the construction of

Goddard Chapel Goddard Chapel is a historic chapel located in Rose Hill Cemetery in Marion, Illinois. The chapel was constructed in 1918 through a donation from Leroy A. Goddard, who served two terms as Marion's mayor and founded the city's first bank. Chicago a ...

. The university commissioned George Clough who was well known in Boston for his restoration of the Old State House, and the design of the

Suffolk County Courthouse The Suffolk County Courthouse, now formally the John Adams Courthouse, is a historic courthouse building in Pemberton Square in Boston, Massachusetts. It is home to the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court (the state's highest court) and the Ma ...

. The original building provided basic facilities, including an open main floor and locker and shower facilities located in the basement. In 1897, freshmen and sophomores were required two hours of week at the gymnasium from Thanksgiving until Spring recess. At the time, the building was the only large space used for dances and large gatherings. The building was also used for commencement dinner each year. In 1898, the demands to expand the building were approved by the Board of Trustees. Additions to the front and sides provided the building with a basketball cage and dance floor above. An indoor track was also built at the level of the dance floor, in addition to a gallery around the main gym area. The Department of Music was given rooms on the third floor.Russell, Miller E. (1966) ''Light on the Hill: A History of Tufts College (1852-1952).'' In 1930, Goddard Gymnasium became Goddard Hall, when the gymnasium moved to Cousens Gym on College Avenue. The building was handed over to the new

. The interior space was converted into what is now known as Ginn Library. The main part houses a large reading room while the top floors are reserved for stacks, office space, and seminar rooms. The structure was connected to Mugar Hall in the west in 1960, and the Cabot Intercultural Center in 1980.

References

{{Tufts Buildings at Tufts University School buildings completed in 1883 Romanesque Revival architecture in Massachusetts