HomeMy WebLinkAboutCampus Planning
by David L. Chapman '67, Texas A&M University archivist
The Archives Our Aggie Heritage
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Harvey Mitchell Hall has been gone
from campus for over three
decades. The only thing remaining
is an old cornerstone marking the location
where the building once stood on Military
Walk. Mitchell Hall, designed by campus
architect Frederick E. Giesecke, Class of
1886, was built in 1912 at a cost of $75,000.
At the time it was a thoroughly modern
dormitory containing conveniences not
found in many of the older campus build-
ings. The 1913 Longhorn provides the fol-
lowing description:
"Harvey Mitchell Hall, a four-story dor-
mitory, was finished last fall and has been
occupied during the present session. By its
location un the campus it balances
Goodwin Hall, and also resembles the lat-
ter in outline and construction. The
r....lasonic Lodge of Bryan, with solemn cer-
emony laid the cornerstone, and in honor
of one of the strongest supporters the
College has ever had, named the building
Harvey Mitchell Hall.
"It is a modern dormitory in every
respect, is electric lighted, steam heated,
and has water in every room and shower
baths on each floor. All rooms are on the
outside and open into a hall which runs
round an interior court, insuring plenty of
light. There is no communication betv.reen
floors for each one has a stairway of its
own, ascending from the entrance. This is a
lypical feature of all the later dormitories."
Giesecke designed Mitchell Hall to bal-
ance Goodwin Hall on the opposite end of
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ampus..Planning:
Harvey Mitchell Hall, 1912-1972
Military \Valk. It was part of an overall
plan to create an attractive campus
designed for 2,000 students. While the
exact details of his vision for Texas A&M
do not appear to have survived; a copy of a
drawing of Giesecke's 1910 master plan is
located in the University Archives. In 1910
many of the buildings shown on his plan
had not as yet been built or even designed.
His influence on almost every aspect of
campus design was enormous and long
lasting. During his first tenure at Texas
A&M Giesecke designed or assisted in the
design of the first power plant in 1893, the
college infirmary in 1895, Foster Hall in
1899, the New Natatorium in 1908, Nagle
Hall in 1909, the Agricultural Experiment
Station Building in 1909, Leggett and
Milner Halls in 1911 and Mitchell Hall
and Bolton Halls in 1912. Even though he
left the campus in 1912 to join the faculty
of the University of Texas, he would still
have a role in the design of Sbisa Hall in
1913 and the Academic Building complet-
ed in 1914.
"
On June 3, 1912, Texas A&M dedicated
Mitchell Hall before a large crowd of stu-
dents, faculty, staff and citizens of Brazos
County. The ceremony marked the culmi-
nation of a successful campaign by the cit~
izens of Bryan. In a petition they asked
the board of directors to name one of the
new dormitories for the man most
responsible for securing the location of
the school in Brazos County. Many of
those attending the dedication placed
items in the cornerstone. As was the cus-
tom of the day, the Masons, with great
ceremony, sealed the stone and placed it
in the building where it stood undisturbed
for the next 60 years.
On April 7,1972, with the destruction
of the structure imminent, the corner-
stone was removed and opened. Inside,
still in excellent condition, were newspa-
per articles on various subjects including
an obituary of Harvey Mitchell. Also
included were several coins and general
information on the local Masonic Lodge.
On April 18, 1972, the wrecking ball
swung into action against the walls of the
dormitory. The building was extremely
\vell built, and destruction took much
longer that the original estimate. On the
site the following year, Texas A&M con-
structed the much needed A. P. Beutel
Health Center to take the place of the
badly outmoded campus hospital. In
1992, the school replaced the Mitchell
cornerstone on Military walk to remind
passers-by of the history of the site. .
JULy-....UGUST 2006 I TEXASAGGJE 25