Hardy Memorial Tower at

San Diego State University San Diego State University (SDSU) is a public research university in San Diego, California. Founded in 1897 as San Diego Normal School, it is the third-oldest university and southernmost in the 23-member California State University (CSU) system ...

, constructed as a

Works Progress Administration The Works Progress Administration (WPA; renamed in 1939 as the Work Projects Administration) was an American New Deal agency that employed millions of jobseekers (mostly men who were not formally educated) to carry out public works projects, i ...

project in 1931, is 11 stories (119.1 ft / 36.3 m) tall; it contains the Fletcher Symphonic Carillon (also known as the Fletcher Chimes) (installed 1946), consisting of 204 bells over 6 octaves.Jenifer Goodwin, ''San Diego Union-Tribute'', For 46 years, SDSU volunteer keeps bells pealing on campus (Dec. 24, 2008)
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/ref> Hardy Memorial Tower is part of the original core of the SDSU campus on Montezuma mesa,
/ref> and was the university's original library.

Namesake

Tower

The Hardy Memorial Tower is named for Dr. Edward Hardy (1868–1958), who served as President of the State Normal School, SDSU's predecessor institution, from 1910 to 1935. During his tenure the college was relocated to Montezuma Mesa, and its name was changed to San Diego State College. Hardy also served on both the State and City Boards of Education, and in 1936, after his retirement, was appointed executive director of the San Diego Museum (now the

San Diego Museum of Man The Museum of Us (formerly known as the San Diego Museum of Man) is a museum of anthropology located in Balboa Park, San Diego, California and housed in the historic landmark buildings of the California Quadrangle. History The museum traces it ...

). Also named for Dr. Hardy are Hardy Avenue, just south of the present SDSU campus and Hardy Elementary School (located next to the SDSU campus). In 1976, by permission of the statewide Board of Trustees and in gratitude for his contributions to the university, it was named the Hardy Memorial Tower. Dr. Hardy's profile graces a bronze plaque designed by San Diego sculptor

Donal Hord Donal Hord (February 26, 1902 – June 29, 1966), an American sculptor, was born Donald Horr in Prentice, Wisconsin. Early life In 1914, Hord and his mother moved west, to Seattle, Washington. Shortly thereafter he contracted rheumatic fever, a ...

Chimes/Bells

:''See also

Carillon A carillon ( , ) is a pitched percussion instrument that is played with a keyboard and consists of at least 23 cast-bronze bells. The bells are hung in fixed suspension and tuned in chromatic order so that they can be sounded harmoniou ...

'' The Fletcher Symphonic Carillon was presented as a gift to SDSU by Senator and Mrs.

Ed Fletcher "Colonel" Ed Fletcher (December 31, 1872 – October 15, 1955) was a real estate developer and U.S. Republican and Democratic politician from San Diego, California. Fletcher was born 1872 in Littleton, Massachusetts, son of Charles Kimbal ...

in 1946 to commemorate the fiftieth (50th) anniversary of the university and to serve as a memorial to students lost in war.Hardy Memorial Tower webpage (accessed July 27, 2009)
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Notability

Hardy Memorial Tower is recognized as an important symbol of San Diego State University to the greater San Diego community.
/ref> In 2004, two historic murals (previously thought to be lost) were uncovered in Hardy Memorial Tower. SDSU received the Governor's Historic Preservation Award in 2008 for efforts in preserving this artwork.California Department of Parks and Recreation, Office of Historic Preservation to Present Eleven Awards for Excellence in Historic Preservation (October 10, 2008)
/ref>2008 Governor’s Historic Preservation Awards (Office of Historic Preservation, California State Parks)
/ref> *''NRA Packages,'' a mural painted in 1936 by Genevieve Burgeson Bredo, and for many years thought lost, has been restored and is now on display inside

Malcolm A. Love Library Malcolm A. Love Library (commonly referred to as ''University Library''), opened in 1971, is the primary, central academic library serving multiple campuses of San Diego State University (SDSU) in Southern California and Northern Baja Californ ...

. The mural was discovered in 2004 behind ceiling tiles inside SDSU's Hardy Memorial Tower, which was part of the university's first library. Painted in a variety of media, it portrays three men unloading National Recovery Act (NRA) packages from a van near San Diego's Hillcrest neighborhood. *A second, larger mural, George Sorenson's ''San Diego Industry,'' remains in Hardy Memorial Tower. This mural depicts the successive stages of tuna fishing and canning, along with the multi-ethnic work force involved in that industry. The library hopes to remove, restore and relocate this mural. Se
Uncovering Local Art and Industry: The Discovery of Hidden WPA-Era Murals at San Diego State University (SDSU Occasional Archeological Paper Series)
an

Location

The Tower stands in the northwest corner of Hepner Hall Quad. In addition to classrooms and lecture halls, the Hepner Hall Quad houses the offices of the College of Health and Human Services.

External links

SDSU Historical Buildings

References

{{San Diego State University Towers completed in 1931 San Diego State University Buildings and structures in San Diego Bell towers in the United States Carillons Clock towers in California Spanish Colonial Revival architecture in California Towers in California Works Progress Administration in California Historic district contributing properties in California National Register of Historic Places in San Diego Monuments and memorials on the National Register of Historic Places in California