Brookings Hall

Brookings Hall is a prominent Collegiate Gothic structure on the campus of Washington University in St. Louis.The building first named University Hall, was built between 1900 and 1902. With the first cornerstone laid on November 3, 1900. The University leased the building, as an Administration Building, to the Louisiana Purchase Exposition Company for use during the 1904 World’s Fair.

Philadelphia firm Cope & Stewardson, represented by James P. Jamieson, designed the building. The general contractor was Bright Construction Company. Brookings was built in collegiate Gothic style with some arguing that it is a replica of Windsor Castle. [ [http://www.rubylane.com/shops/ruskin-gallery/item/MS-205E Gallery-Framed ROSCOE MISSELHORN Color Print - Washington University, Brookings Hall, St. Louis MO: MS-205E: Removed ] ] Although, Brookings Hall strongly resembles the main entrance at St. John's College, University of Cambridge in England. [ [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St_John's_College,_Cambridge] ] In the United States the building, however, is most similar to [http://www.princeton.edu/~oktour/virtualtour/Stop12.htm Blair Hall] of Princeton University, which was designed by the same firm and built in 1897. [ [http://etcweb.princeton.edu/CampusWWW/Companion/blair_hall.html Blair Hall ] ] The two companies also built many of the buildings on the original Quad. The building was occupied as the administrative center by the University in February 1905, and was known for many years thereafter as University Hall. And was renamed to Brookings Hall on June 12, 1928, in honor of board president Robert S. Brookings.

There are numerous inscriptions on the building most prominent: the inscription above the clock on the Western side reads "Cedunt Horae, Opera Manent" (The hours go by, the works remain). The inscription on the east facade of Brookings Hall reads "Discere Si Cupias Intra: Salvere Iubemus" (If you wish to learn, enter: we welcome you).

A nearly identical copy of the building was built shortly after the fair at the newly created Northwest Missouri State University in Maryville, Missouri.

References

External links

*Washington University in St. Louis
* [http://www.wustl.edu/tour/danforth/brookings-hall.html Danforth Campus Tour, Brookings Hall]
* [http://www.mohistory.org/Fair/WF/HTML/Overview/page3.html 1904 World's Fair Administration Building]