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Additional Building Histories

Axe Library

Built between 1977 and 1979 and was dedicated on April 25, 1981. It was designed by Dale Dronberger of Manhattan and named after Leonard H. Axe, president of the University from 1957 to 1965.

Bowen Hall

Residence Hall built between 1953 and 1955 in the same style as Tanner and Trout Halls. It was named after David M. Bowen, the first principal of the laboratory schools from 1909 to 1913.

Dellinger Hall

Residence Hall built between 1964 and 1966 at a cost of $1.5 million. The E. Louise Gibson Dining Hall was added when it moved from the basement of Axe Library in 1978. The hall was named after Oris Polk Dellinger, the first head of the Dept. of Biological Science.

Grubbs Hall

Built between 1967 and 1968 at a cost of $1.4 million, it houses the English, Communications and Foreign Languages Departments. It was named after O. F. Grubbs, who was a professor of social science from 1911 to 1959.

Hartman Hall

Originally called the Mechanic Arts Building, it was built between 1926 and 1928 at a cost of $80,000. Designed by Professor Harry V. Hartman and constructed by Peters and Phillips of Manhattan, its original design called for it to be of Neo-Egyptian architecture inspired by King Tut's tomb and shaped like a pyramid with each floor set in from the floor below it. It was remodeled in 1947 and again in 1951 and nothing remains of the original design except the maze of hallways and stairways inside. The building was rededicated as Hartman Hall in 1970. Besides designing the building named after him, Hartman also founded the Automotive Technology Program on campus in 1920.

Hecker-Wells Hall

This building was built between 1980 and 1985 on the site of the old Carney Hall and houses the science departments. It was named after L. C. Heckert, chair of the Dept. of Physical Science from 1933 to 1956 and J. Ralph Wells, chair of the Biology Dept. from 1939 to 1959.

Horace Mann

Originally built in 1927 to house the Elementary Laboratory School, where students could get practical experience by interning and teaching classes grades 1 - 6. It was designed by Charles A. Smith of Kansas City and is an example of Colonial Spanish architecture trimmed with Carthage limestone. The building was built and paid for by the City of Pittsburg and claimed to be the first building in the city that was fireproofed. It was named in honor of Horace Mann, an American pioneer educator. It was closed in 1971 and used mainly for storage until it was renovated in 2000 and now houses the Student Welcome Center.

Horace Mann Elementary School
- photo about 1940

Hughes Hall

Built in 1962 for the Departments of Education and Psychology at a cost of $475,000 by architect Arthur Scott of Pittsburg. It was named for Reese H. Hughes, president of the university from 1941 to 1957.

Kelce Center

Originally built in 1951 to house the College High Laboratory School, where PSU education students could get practical experience by interning and teaching classes grades 7 - 12. College High closed in 1971 and in 1973 with a monetary gift from Gladys A. Kelce, a 1916 graduate of the university, the building was renovated and renamed the Gladys A. Kelce Center for Business and Economic Development.

McCray Hall (Music Hall)

McCray Hall, or Music Hall, was designed by state architect Charles P. Cuthbert, in modified English Gothic style as a companion to Porter Hall on the other side of Russ Hall. Ground was broke in 1927 and cost $150,000 to build. The new building was dedicated on April 13, 1929. It was rededicated in 1961 as McCray Hall in honor of Dr. Walter McCray, the second head of the music department. The lobby is tiled on the floor and walls with ceramics from the Rookwood Pottery of Cincinnati, OH. Originally the walls in the lobby were adorned in Belgian tapestries, one depicting a scene from Puccini's "La Boheme" and the other titled "The Great Masters". They were lost after the two Birger Sandzen paintings were purchased in 1949 at a cost of $150.00 each

Music Hall - McCray Hall
- no postmark (c1915-1930)

McPherson Hall

Built in 1977 as the nursing building. It was named after Lula McPherson, an alumna of the History Dept. whose estate donated $400,000 for a memorial. She taught history at Pittsburg High School.

Mine Safety & Geology Building

Became part of The Student Center which was built around the buildng in 1951. Before that it the Kansas State Geological Survey offices, a Mine Rescue Station, classrooms and laboratory for the Geology Dept. and the KANZA, the student newspaper.


Mine Rescue Building - photo, Historical Souvenir of The Kansas State Teachers College, 1924	Mine Rescue Building - slide photo - 1944

Mitchell Hall

Built between 1951 and 1955, originally known as the East Hall. It was dedicated in 1961 in honor of Hattie Moore Mitchell who was Dean of Women from 1914 to 1939.

Nation Hall

Built between 1941 and 1942 as a womens dormitory. It was named after Miss O'della Nation, first librarian of the Auxillary Manual Normal Training School from 1903 to 1943. The building was enlarged in 1946.

Nation Hall - Women's Dormitory
- no postmark (c1942-1959)

Overman Student Center

Built in 1951, engulfing the Mine Rescue Building, and was built without state money. It was called the Student Center because the administration of the campus was against unions. To pay for the building, every faculty member had one-tenth of one percent of their salary deducted until the building was paid off. In 1989, the building was rededicated as the Jack H. Overman Student Center in honor of its first director who served from 1951 until 1985. An large addition was added and a major renovation was concluded in 1995.

Physical Plant

Built in 1913 at a cost of $32,500. It was added onto in the 1924 and in 1960.

Physical Plant
- photo, Historical Souvenir of The Kansas State Teachers College, 1924

Porter Hall

Built in 1927 as the Porter Library. It was named in honor of Senator Ebenezer Finley Porter, state legislature who was responsible for securing the money from the state to establish the State Manual Training Normal School in Pittsburg. In 1981, the library moved to its new facility and the building now houses the Art Department.


Library, Porter Hall - no postmark (c1915-1930)	Library, Porter Hall - no postmark (c1940-1959)

Shirk Hall

Built as a mens dormitory in 1958, it was named after James A. Shirk who had been a professor and later chair of the Departement of Mathmatics from 1914 to 1946. Shirk Hall now houses campus security and KRPS, a public radio station.

Tanner Hall

Built as a mens dormitory in 1953, it was named after Rex R. Tanner. Tanner was a student at the State Manual Training Normal School and principal of the Weir Schools when he died while trying to save library books in the fire that destroyed Russ Hall in 1914. A bronze memorial plaque was dedicated in 1915 in his honor and is located at the entrance of Russ Hall today. An addition was built onto Tanner Hall in 1966.

Timmons Chapel

A Country English Gothic chapel designed by architect Richard N. Wakefield of Kansas City and built from 1965 to 1966 by Bess Timmons. It was built of native limestone of Ashler masonry pattern and seats 100. After the death of Mrs. Timmons, her children donated bronze bells for the tower and a 341 pipe organ.

Trout Hall

Built as a mens dormitory in 1955, it was named after George Wilson Trout, chair of the History and Social Science Departments from 1914 to 1939.

Weede Physical Education Building

Built between 1969 and 1971 at a cost of $2,605,000 to replace the gynasium near the Overman Student Center. It was named after Garfield Wilson "Doc" Weede, head coach of many sports from 1919 to 1957. The building contains the John Lance Arena, a basketball court that seats 6,500, an olympic size swimming pool, two raquetball courts.

Yates Hall

Built 1963 and named after James Anderson Yates, professor and chair of the Physical Science Dept. from 1912 to 1933. It houses the Departments of Mathmatics and Physics and the L. Russell Kelce Memorial Planetarium. The telescope at the planetarium was originally located on top of Russ Hall.