Tucker Hall
From Special Collections Research Center Wiki
Tucker Hall, also known as the Old Library, is an academic building located along the north side of the Sunken Garden near the Wren Building at the College of William and Mary. It housed the university's Department of English which in Fall, 2009, moved to Tyler Hall and the Roy R. Charles Center which also moved in 2009 to Blow Hall during renovations to the building.
Contents |
History
In 1905, Andrew Carnegie was solicited for funds to build the library at the College of William and Mary. He pledged $20,000 if the College would raise an additional $20,000 for support and upkeep. The funds were raised by the following year, and in 1908 R.K. Harwood and J.A. Moss were contracted to build the library for $14,697. A ceremony was held on April 13, 1908, Thomas Jefferson's birthday. At this time the cornerstone was laid and George Clinton Batchellor, the principle donor ($10,000) was given an honorary degree, an LLD . The 12,000-volume library was completed in December, but the dedication and public opening were not until May 13 and 14, 1909.
The library had a stock room and a fireproof vault in the north wing. Dances were held in the library in 1920. In 1922, the College received $25,000 from the Carnegie Endowment Corporation to build an addition to the library. Architect Charles M. Robinson designed the addition. Harwood & Moss were contracted to build the addition for $16,290.50. The renovation, completed in 1923, doubled the size of the library. The new wing made the library an H-shaped building. The old stack room became a reading room and offices. The new three-story high stack room had a capacity of 50,000 volumes (with the provision that rearrangement could hold 150,000 volumes). Above the offices was a fire-proof vault.
Another addition was planned in 1928. Farmville Manufacturing Company was awarded the $84,432.77 contract (and a supplementary contract of $4,508). The 3-story addition used steel and brick construction. The design called for a 20-foot extension of the library on all sides. Two 120 foot reading rooms were constructed to hold 500 students, the volume capacity was expanded to 400,000 volumes (it contained 70,000) and the basement was rendered fireproof and waterproof. A marble staircase was added in the center of the former front reading room. Busts of George Washington and Robert E. Lee were placed in niches on the sides of the stairway. The project was completed in time for the spring semester in 1930 at a cost of $100,000. The law library was to be housed on the third floor.
In 1941, new men's and women's lounges, where smoking was allowed, were opened in the basement at a cost of $12,000. In 1942, librarian Earl Gregg Swem had exterior ivy removed to prevent dampness. In 1943 an airplane spotting station was moved into the library tower.
In 1958, due to increased enrollment, the Virginia General Assembly appropriated $1 million for construction of a new library (Swem Library). In 1966-67, the building underwent renovations to prepare it for its newest tenant: the Law School. The first floor became offices for deans and secretaries and a faculty-student lounge. The old main reading room became the library room with offices for a librarian and tax specialists. The second floor was used for the Moot Court room, two main classrooms, faculty offices, and the Law Review Office. The third floor became home to the Wythe Society. The building was renamed Marshall-Wythe Hall in 1968.
In 1980, as the law school moved out and the English department moved in, the College changed the building's name to Tucker Hall in honor of former law professor and Revolutionary War veteran St. George Tucker. The English Department moved from spaces in the Wren Building, Brafferton building and Kitchen, and the Chancellor's basement. In 1987, the College opened a writing center in Tucker Hall which moved into Swem Library in 2009.
Brief Chronology
- 1908: Cornerstone laid April 13
- 1909: Dedicated May 13, open to public May 14
- 1923: Addition to the building--back wing making the building H-shaped. New stack room three floors high, shelf capacity of 50,000 books, provision for rearrangement for 150,000. Old Stack room converted to reading room for 30 readers, offices for librarian. Above offices is balcony leading into fire-proof vault.
- 1929: Three-story addition: Marble staircase erected in center of former front reading room. Busts of G. Washington and R.E. Lee placed in nitches on sides of this stairway which leads to reading room on 2nd floor. Addition consists of 3-story structure between former reading room and stack room. Back part of old building to be used entirely as stack room.
- 1930: Seating capacity 500, 3 new reading rooms, shelving capacity 400,000 volumes (contains 70,000). Third floor to be used for law students, law library.
- 1931: Law library on 3rd floor
- 1941: New women's and men's lounges under main floor opened, may have been used as smoking rooms, cost $12,000
- 1942: Ivy removed from walls by Earl Gregg Swem, causing dampness
- 1943: Airplane spotting station moved into library tower
- 1967: Renovation, conversion to Law School. First floor offices for deans and secretaries, faculty-student lounge in front part. Across back of 1st floor in old main reading room is library room with offices for librarian and tax specialists. Second floor housed faculty offices, two main classrooms, and Law Review Office. Third floor housed the Wythe Society.
- 1968: Renamed Marshall-Wythe Hall.
- 1969: Moot Courtroom (on the first floor) opens during law weekend, April 25-26
- 1980: Over the summer, the Law School moved out, the English Department moved in. The building was renamed St. George Tucker Hall.
References
- University Archives Buildings File (2007), Tucker Hall Earl Gregg Swem Library, The College of William and Mary.
In the Special Collections Research Center
- University Archives Photograph Collection, Special Collections Research Center, Earl Gregg Swem Library, College of William and Mary. Including: P1980.110 (interior), P1977.340 (aerial), P1979.836 (.1914), P1979.44 (c.1926), P1982.48 (interior c.1925), P77.240, P77.245, P77.247, P77.287, P77.294-298, P77.315-318, P1977.333, P1977.339, P77.343, P77.427, P78.212-213, P79.40-45, P79.47-67, P79.86-88, P79.185-199, P79.214-278, P79.836, P1980.110, P1980.123, P1980.131, P1981.21, P1981.165-181, P1982.48, P1982.185-186, P1982.190-197, P1982.224, P1982.226-230, P1982.232-234, P1985.25-29, P1985.57, P1986.123, P1986.42, P1987.153, P1987.200, P1987.441-443, P1987.463-465, P1988.138, P1988.329, P1989.121, P1989.162, P1989.354-361, P1989.363-369, P1989.374-376, P1991.100, P1998.4.
- 1908-1909-Catalog, p. 11
- 1909-Colonial Echo, p. 78
- 1911—Colonial Echo, p. 4 (interior)
- circa l916-Bulletin, Vol. IX, No. 4, p. 19 (interior)
- 1922-Colonial Echo, p. 16, 18
- 1926-Colonial Echo, p. 22
- 1928-Colonial Echo, p. 18
- 1931—Colonial Echo (last addition, center)
- 1969—Colonial Echo, p. 302 (north facade, remodeling for courtroom)
- Flat Hat 3/28/29
- Flat Hat 11/1/29
- Flat Hat 1/10/56
- Alumni Gazette March 1959, 4-9
- Alumni Gazette December 1968, 5-7
- Faculty/Alumni File – Thorne, Thomas Elston (pencil sketches),
- Facilities Management Records, blueprints, Archives Acc. 1983.7, Archives Acc. 1985.22, Archives Acc. 1988.35
Need help?
To search for further material, see Finding Materials in the SCRC for an introduction to the SCRC Collections Database, card catalogs, Flat Hat-William & Mary News-Alumni Gazette index, etc.
Questions? Contact the SCRC at spcoll@wm.edu or 221-3090, or visit the Special Collections Research Center in the Earl Gregg Swem Library at the College of William and Mary (hours).
In the News
- Tucker smell solved: sewage drain left open 20 years ago, The Flat Hat 1 July 2008.
| A Note About The Contents Of This Wiki |
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| Unfortunately, many of the early original records of the College of William and Mary were destroyed by fire, military occupation, and the normal effects of time. The information available here is the best available from known documents and sources at the time it was written. Information in this wiki is not complete as new information continues to be uncovered in the SCRC's collections and elsewhere. Researchers are strongly encouraged to use the SCRC's access tools for their research as the information contained in this wiki is by no means comprehensive. |
