The Administration Building is a structure on the

campus A campus traditionally refers to the land and buildings of a college or university. This will often include libraries, lecture halls, student centers and, for residential universities, residence halls and dining halls. By extension, a corp ...

Texas Tech University Texas Tech University (Texas Tech, Tech, or TTU) is a public university, public research university in Lubbock, Texas, United States. Established on February 10, 1923, and called Texas Technological College until 1969, it is the flagship instit ...

Lubbock, Texas Lubbock ( ) is a city in the U.S. state of Texas and the county seat of Lubbock County. With a population of 272,086 in 2024, Lubbock is the 10th-most populous city in Texas and the 84th-most populous in the United States. The city is in the ...

. It was one of the original buildings on the campus, and is modeled after the Universidad de Alcala de Henares in Alcalá de Henares, Spain. The Admin building has three floors and a basement and includes twin bell towers, double wings, and a courtyard. Some of the offices housed in the building include the Chancellor's Office, President's Office and Board of Regents Office.

Architecture

Although the north facade draws inspiration from the Universidad de Alcala de Henares, the Administration Building is reminiscent of a typical mid-sixteenth-century, Plateresque period Spanish Alcaldia or city hall. The north facade of the building contains fine detailed ornamentation and is symbolic of the historical background of the region, and the philosophical aims and goals of the early Texas Technological College. The selection of much of the ornamentation of the building is credited to Texas Tech College's first president, Dr. Paul Horn, including two quotes on the north facade. The seals of Spain, France, Mexico, the Confederacy, the United States and Texas are also depicted on the north facade and symbolize the six nations that have had sovereignty over Texas at various times. Over the ten twin-arched windows of the second level of the north facade appear ten portrait medallions of significant figures in American and Texas history:

Christopher Columbus Christopher Columbus (; between 25 August and 31 October 1451 – 20 May 1506) was an Italians, Italian explorer and navigator from the Republic of Genoa who completed Voyages of Christopher Columbus, four Spanish-based voyages across the At ...

George Washington George Washington (, 1799) was a Founding Fathers of the United States, Founding Father and the first president of the United States, serving from 1789 to 1797. As commander of the Continental Army, Washington led Patriot (American Revoluti ...

Abraham Lincoln Abraham Lincoln (February 12, 1809 – April 15, 1865) was the 16th president of the United States, serving from 1861 until Assassination of Abraham Lincoln, his assassination in 1865. He led the United States through the American Civil War ...

Robert E. Lee Robert Edward Lee (January 19, 1807 – October 12, 1870) was a general officers in the Confederate States Army, Confederate general during the American Civil War, who was appointed the General in Chief of the Armies of the Confederate ...

Woodrow Wilson Thomas Woodrow Wilson (December 28, 1856February 3, 1924) was the 28th president of the United States, serving from 1913 to 1921. He was the only History of the Democratic Party (United States), Democrat to serve as president during the Prog ...

Jim Hogg James Stephen Hogg (March 24, 1851March 3, 1906) was an American lawyer and statesman who served as the List of Governors of Texas, 20th governor of Texas from 1891 to 1895. He was born near Rusk, Texas. Hogg was a follower of the conservativi ...

Albert Sidney Johnston General officer, General Albert Sidney Johnston (February 2, 1803 – April 6, 1862) was an American military officer who served as a general officer in three different armies: the Texian Army, the United States Army, and the Confederate States ...

Davy Crockett Colonel (United States), Colonel David Crockett (August 17, 1786 – March 6, 1836) was an American politician, militia officer and frontiersman. Often referred to in popular culture as the "King of the Wild Frontier", he represented Tennesse ...

, Stephen F. Austin, and

Sam Houston Samuel Houston (, ; March 2, 1793 – July 26, 1863) was an American general and statesman who played a prominent role in the Texas Revolution. He served as the first and third president of the Republic of Texas and was one of the first two indi ...

Victory Bells

The Victory Bells consists of two bells, one large and one small, and are housed in the east bell tower. The bells were given to Texas Tech as a class gift in 1936 and were first rung at the class of 1936's graduation. Each graduate contributed $2 towards the cost of the bells. The Saddle Tramps and High Riders ring the Victory Bells after every varsity team's win. The tradition began on September 19, 1936, after the Red Raiders football team defeated Texas Wesleyan 26–7. The following Friday at a pep rally, head yell leader Arch Lamb told Texas Tech students, "if we gig the Horned Frogs the victory bells will be rung until 6 o'clock Sunday morning." After the Red Raiders defeated the

TCU Horned Frogs The TCU Horned Frogs are the athletic teams that represent Texas Christian University. The 18 varsity teams participate in National Collegiate Athletic Association, NCAA Division I and in the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) for football, competi ...

7–0 the following day, the team's first victory over a

Southwest Conference The Southwest Conference (SWC) was an NCAA Division I college athletic conference in the United States that existed from 1914 to 1996. Composed primarily of schools from Texas, at various times the conference also included schools from Oklaho ...

opponent, the bells rang, keeping Lubbock residents up all through the night. Thereafter, the bell ringing was limited to 30 minutes.

Baird Memorial Carillon

In 1973, Ruth Baird Larabee donated money to the university to buy and install a carillon in the west bell tower, in memory of her parents Charles and Ruth Baird. Originally consisting of 36 bells, the carillon was refurbished and extended in 2005, bringing the total range of the instrument to 3 octaves. Twelve of the original bells were cast by the

Whitechapel Bell Foundry The Whitechapel Bell Foundry was a business in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets. At the time of the closure of its Whitechapel premises, it was the oldest manufacturing company in Great Britain. The bell foundry primarily made church bells ...

in England, the remaining twenty-four original bells were cast in France by the Paccard Foundry, and the newest bells were cast by the Meek & Watson Foundry in Ohio. The estimated value of the collection is $250,000. The carillon has been featured in the Carol of Lights every year since its inception in 1959. The carillon is played at 1:00 p.m. on

July 4 Events Pre-1600 * 362 BC – Battle of Mantinea: The Thebans, led by Epaminondas, defeated the Spartans. * 414 – Emperor Theodosius II, age 13, yields power to his older sister Aelia Pulcheria, who reigned as regent and procla ...

in conjunction with the ceremonial ringing of the

Liberty Bell The Liberty Bell, previously called the State House Bell or Old State House Bell, is an iconic symbol of American Revolution, American independence located in Philadelphia. Originally placed in the steeple of Pennsylvania State House, now know ...

, in

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Philadelphia ( ), colloquially referred to as Philly, is the List of municipalities in Pennsylvania, most populous city in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania and the List of United States cities by population, sixth-most populous city in the Unit ...

. The carillon also features Sunday evening concerts each summer.

Double T Bench

The Double T Bench, a bench in the shape of the Double T, is located in the courtyard of the Admin Building. The bench was a gift to the university by the class of 1931. It was an announced tradition that no freshmen were allowed to sit on the bench, a tradition that had faded by the 1950s.

Photo gallery

Administration Building at Texas Tech.jpg, Administration Building in 2019 Courtyard of the Administration Building, Texas Tech.jpg, Administration Building Courtyard Texas Tech U Administration Building.jpg, View from Memorial Circle

References

{{Texas Tech University Texas Tech University buildings Texas Technological College Historic District University and college buildings completed in 1925 University and college administration buildings in the United States Buildings and structures in Lubbock County, Texas 1925 establishments in Texas