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Pioneer Hall (Oregon)
Encyclopedia
Pioneer Hall is the oldest building at Linfield College
in McMinnville
, Oregon
, United States
. Opened in 1883, the four-story Italianate
structure formerly housed the entire school. Constructed of red bricks and topped with a belfry, the structure was added to the National Register of Historic Places
in 1978 as Pioneer Hall, Linfield College. Part of the hall serves as residences and part as classrooms.
In 1879, what was then known as McMinnville University began plans to construct a new building to house the school. After a professor, W. S. White, drafted plans for the building that year, the school waited until 1882 to begin construction. That year the cornerstone was laid where the cabin of the Cozine family once stood until they donated 20 acres (80,937.2 m²) to the school the prior year. The building was dedicated June 12, 1883, and at that time housed the entire college.
In November 1907, landscape architect John Charles Olmsted
visited the campus to advise the school on the design of the campus. At the time Pioneer Hall was the only hall on campus and a wooden gymnasium was the only other building. Olmstead described Pioneer Hall as ugly, and the other building as cheap. In 1922, the school became Linfield College. In 1929, the building was renamed as Pioneer Hall in honor of the pioneers of the school.
Pioneer Hall was then remodeled in 1946. On February 23, 1978, the structure was added to the National Register of Historic Places
. Pioneer Hall also used to house the Linfield College radio station, KSLC 90.3 FM, until 2007 when it moved into Renshaw Hall. The radio station - as KLIN AM - was also housed in the music and art building (old Frerichs Hall) which burned down in 1969, while the transmitter remained in Pioneer.
On January 8, 2008, the nearby Old Oak tree estimated at 250 years old fell down. As of 2008, the building is used for a variety of uses. It is a 47 person residence hall on the upper floors, while the lower floors are home to the departments of Psychology, History, and Political Science.
style. W. S. White designed the four-story building which has three above-ground stories atop a stone basement.
Linfield College
Linfield College is an American private institution of higher learning located in McMinnville, Oregon, United States. As a four-year, undergraduate, liberal arts and sciences college with a campus in Portland, Oregon, it also has an adult degree program located in eight communities throughout the...
in McMinnville
McMinnville, Oregon
McMinnville is the county seat and largest city of Yamhill County, Oregon, United States. According to Oregon Geographic Names, it was named by its founder, William T. Newby , an early immigrant on the Oregon Trail, for his hometown of McMinnville, Tennessee...
, Oregon
Oregon
Oregon is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is located on the Pacific coast, with Washington to the north, California to the south, Nevada on the southeast and Idaho to the east. The Columbia and Snake rivers delineate much of Oregon's northern and eastern...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. Opened in 1883, the four-story Italianate
Italianate architecture
The Italianate style of architecture was a distinct 19th-century phase in the history of Classical architecture. In the Italianate style, the models and architectural vocabulary of 16th-century Italian Renaissance architecture, which had served as inspiration for both Palladianism and...
structure formerly housed the entire school. Constructed of red bricks and topped with a belfry, the structure was added to the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
in 1978 as Pioneer Hall, Linfield College. Part of the hall serves as residences and part as classrooms.
History
In November 1907, landscape architect John Charles Olmsted
John Charles Olmsted
John Charles Olmsted , the nephew and adopted son of Frederick Law Olmsted, was an American landscape architect. With his brother, Frederick Law Olmsted, Jr., he founded Olmsted Brothers, a landscape design firm in Brookline, Massachusetts. The firm is famous for designing many urban parks,...
visited the campus to advise the school on the design of the campus. At the time Pioneer Hall was the only hall on campus and a wooden gymnasium was the only other building. Olmstead described Pioneer Hall as ugly, and the other building as cheap. In 1922, the school became Linfield College. In 1929, the building was renamed as Pioneer Hall in honor of the pioneers of the school.
Pioneer Hall was then remodeled in 1946. On February 23, 1978, the structure was added to the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
. Pioneer Hall also used to house the Linfield College radio station, KSLC 90.3 FM, until 2007 when it moved into Renshaw Hall. The radio station - as KLIN AM - was also housed in the music and art building (old Frerichs Hall) which burned down in 1969, while the transmitter remained in Pioneer.
On January 8, 2008, the nearby Old Oak tree estimated at 250 years old fell down. As of 2008, the building is used for a variety of uses. It is a 47 person residence hall on the upper floors, while the lower floors are home to the departments of Psychology, History, and Political Science.
Architecture
Atop the hall is a square belfry, which is topped by a dome and spire. The architectural style of the brick structure is Italian Bracketed. Pioneer Hall is a mixture of the cruciform plan and ItalianateItalianate architecture
The Italianate style of architecture was a distinct 19th-century phase in the history of Classical architecture. In the Italianate style, the models and architectural vocabulary of 16th-century Italian Renaissance architecture, which had served as inspiration for both Palladianism and...
style. W. S. White designed the four-story building which has three above-ground stories atop a stone basement.
