Woodrow Wilson Hall (also known as Wilson Hall) is an American building on the campus of
James Madison University
James Madison University (JMU, Madison, or James Madison) is a public research university in Harrisonburg, Virginia. Founded in 1908 as the State Normal and Industrial School for Women at Harrisonburg, the institution was renamed Madison Coll ...
(JMU) located on the center of the university's quadrangle in
Harrisonburg, Virginia. Dedicated on 15 May 1931, the building's namesake is President
Woodrow Wilson
Thomas Woodrow Wilson (December 28, 1856February 3, 1924) was an American politician and academic who served as the 28th president of the United States from 1913 to 1921. A member of the Democratic Party, Wilson served as the president of ...
, who was born in nearby
Staunton.
The cornerstone of Wilson Hall was laid on June 19, 1930.
["Ceremony and Program: Laying the Cornerstone of the Main Building of Harrisonburg Teachers College", Rockingham Union Lodge No. 27 A.F. and A.M., June 19, 1930 ''(pamphlet from JMU Carrier Library, Special Collections)''] The building was constructed out of a blue-gray colored limestone block known as "
bluestone
Bluestone is a cultural or commercial name for a number of dimension or building stone varieties, including:
* basalt in Victoria, Australia, and in New Zealand
* dolerites in Tasmania, Australia; and in Britain (including Stonehenge)
* fe ...
"
mined from several local quarries.
Occupancy and use
Wilson Hall initially served as the main administration building for the university and housed the president's office, the post office, classrooms (located on the second and third floors), and the first permanent auditorium on campus (built with a capacity to seat 1,400).
During the late 1930s, a recording and broadcasting studio was built in the basement. In the late 1960s, Wilson Hall hosted a men's lounge. For a number of years, the art department was housed within the building. The last classroom, a geography classroom/laboratory was moved out of Wilson Hall in 1990-91.
Currently, Wilson Hall houses the student administrative offices.
Architecture
The building was designed by architect
Charles M. Robinson. Constructed as the centerpiece of the JMU quadrangle, Wilson Hall is a three-story building featuring a portico supported with four
Roman Doric columns, and a hipped roof topped with a cupola. The inset windows of the building are enclosed by bluestone walls, and are placed in bays with a variable rhythm of three, one, and two. Facing northwest, Wilson Hall is flanked by Maury Hall (built in 1909) and Keezell Hall (built in 1927)
In popular culture
The building is so loved by alumni and fans alike, that it has even been enshrined in
LEGO form with multiple
custom building setsavailable.
Gallery
File:Wilson Hall.jpg, View of Wilson Hall from the JMU quadrangle
File:JMU WilsonHallPlaque 20160316.JPG, Wilson Hall dedication plaque
File:JMU WilsonHallCornerstone 20160316.jpg, Wilson Hall cornerstone
File:JMU WilsonHallAuditorium 1900s.tif, Undated historic image of the Wilson Hall Auditorium ''(which has since been renovated in 1988)''
References
{{James Madison University
James Madison University
Buildings and structures in Harrisonburg, Virginia
School buildings completed in 1931