Hill Hall at Savannah State College, also known as Walter Bernard Hill Hall and built between 1900 and 1901 by students studying manual arts and blacksmithing, was added to the

National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artistic v ...

in 1981. The building was named for Dr. Walter Barnard Hill.

History

Located on the campus of

Savannah State University ) , established = , closed = , type = Public historically black university , parent = University System of Georgia , academic_affiliation = Space-grant , endowment ...

, the facility had a variety of uses since its initial construction including a bookstore, student center, male dormitory, and library. U.S. President

William Howard Taft William Howard Taft (September 15, 1857March 8, 1930) was the 27th president of the United States (1909–1913) and the tenth chief justice of the United States (1921–1930), the only person to have held both offices. Taft was elected pr ...

visited the building in 1912. Between 1914 and 1918, during World War I, the building served as a barracks facility for Black soldiers as they trained in Savannah. Hill Hall was closed in 1996 following protests by students when the building, a dorm at the time, fell into disrepair. For nearly 20 years campus officials and community groups worked to raise money for restoration. The building was damaged by fire on May 8, 2000 as work crews were completing renovations. The building was reopened in 2008. Today, Hill Hall houses the university's Enrollment Management Center, a presidential suite, administrative offices, a lecture hall, a banquet room, and a mini-museum.

Historical recognition

The

Georgia Historical Commission The Georgia Historical Commission was an organization created by the U.S. state of Georgia for purposes of historic preservation. The Georgia legislature created it in February 1951 to promote and increase knowledge and understanding of the hist ...

and the

Georgia Department of Natural Resources The Georgia Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is an administrative agency of the U.S. state of Georgia. The agency has statewide responsibilities for managing and conserving Georgia’s natural, cultural, and historical resources, and has five ...

have recognized both the Savannah State campus and Hill Hall as a part of the Georgia Historical Marker Program. On April 26, 2001, a historic marker was erected by the Georgia Historical Society and the Savannah State University National Alumni Association. The Georgia Trust for Historic Preservation honored the Hill Hall Restoration project with its Excellence in Rehabilitation Award for 2009.

References

External links

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Walter Bernard Hill Hall
historical marker {{DEFAULTSORT:Hill Hall At Savannah State College University and college buildings on the National Register of Historic Places in Georgia (U.S. state) Neoclassical architecture in Georgia (U.S. state) University and college buildings completed in 1901 National Register of Historic Places in Savannah, Georgia Educational buildings in Savannah, Georgia Savannah State University 1901 establishments in Georgia (U.S. state)