Campus of the University of Montana

(The University of Montana Historic District Contributing Property)

Formerly North Hall

• Built 1923
• abv. BRAN

Constructed in 1922 following the 1918 Carsley-Gilbert campus master plan, this women's residence was intended to be part of two U-shaped clusters of men's and women's dormitories. Its identical contemporary counterpart, Elrod Hall, and Corbin Hall were the only three buildings of the two “U”s erected before the plan was abandoned in the 1930s. Renowned Helena architects J. G. Link and C. S. Haire designed the handsome Renaissance Revival style facility with its striking red-brown brick façade and simple cream-colored terra cotta ornamentation. Renamed Brantly Hall, the building functioned as a women’s residence until 1987. It had been renamed in honor of Lois A (Reat) Brantly, who had been Social Director of the hall for over 16 years. Mrs. Brantly had been considered a, "mother away from home."

(The University of Montana Historic District Contributing Property)

• Built 1927 (North Corbin, connecting Corbin and Brantly halls built in 1956)
• Women's Dormitory until 1986
• abv. COR

The construction of this women's residence hall, completed in 1927, marks the end of an era. It was the last building erected in strict accordance with the Carsley-Gilbert campus master plan and placed within the intended U-shaped dormitory arrangement. George Carsley and Missoula architect C. J. Forbis collaborated on the design of this Renaissance Revival style building. It was to be Carsley's last contribution to the campus and one of the last of his prolific career. Red-brown brick, cream-colored terra cotta, and green Spanish roof tile mirror the features of Brantly Hall, but the omission of a horizontal line on the third story visually diminishes their differences in size.

• Built 1969
• abv. CUR

• Built 1956
• Named after Emma B. Lommasson
• abv. EL

(The University of Montana Historic District Contributing Property)

• Built 1898
• abv. UH

Fronting the Oval at the heart of the campus, the university's oldest standing building, also known as Main Hall, proudly represents the birth of this noble institution. Celebrated Missoula architect A. J. Gibson designed the Richardsonian Romanesque style building that, along with its now-demolished companion Science Hall, comprised the campus at the school's opening in 1899. During the university's dedication ceremony in 1898, corn, oil, and water symbolizing plenty, joy, and peace were poured over the building's cornerstone. Today the hourly chiming of the bells in the majestic bell tower serves as a constant reminder of the enduring solidity of the university.

• Built 1968
• abv. UC

• Built 1935, Renovated 1999
• Named after Harry Adams -

former athlete and coach (1921–1966)

• abv. AC

• Built 2000
• abv. FRC

• Built 1958; Remodeled 1985, 2001
• abv. POOL

• Built 1986, Remodeled 2002
• Named after Dennis Washington
• abv. WGS

on campus

• Built 1912, Closed 1967

off campus

• Built 1968, Remodeled 1986
• Named after Paul Dornblaser - A captain of the football team in 1912 who was killed in World War I.

• Built 1957
• abv. AA

• Built 1974
• Named after Maureen and Mike Mansfield
• abv. MLIB

• Built 1967
• Named after William M. "Daddy" Aber -

Member of the university's original five-person faculty

• abv. DABE

Aber Hall is a smoke-free, 11-story residence hall. Floors 2-10 house about 40 students on each floor. Each floor is L-shaped and occupied by students of the same sex. Elevators and stairs serve all floors. Aber Hall attracts students with a variety of interests in recreation (both intramural and outdoor activities) and wellness programs. The Grizzly Pool, Washington-Grizzly stadium, The Rec Center, and trailhead to the "M" are also nearby.

(The University of Montana Historic District Contributing Property)

• Built 1952
• Named after Oscar J. Craig,

University's first president

• abv. DCRA

Construction of this women's residence, dedicated in 1903, attests to Montana's early commitment to coeducation. Architect A. J. Gibson chose the simple, elegant Second Renaissance Revival style for his third campus building. Deviating from the specifications of the original campus master plan, the building faces the end, rather than the center of the Oval. Room and board could be had for eighteen dollars a month with space for seventy-two students. Renamed Craig Hall in 1911 after first university president Oscar Craig, the building also housed the school's first two sororities. When a new women's dormitory opened in 1924, Craig Hall was extensively remodeled for classroom use.

The hall is situated at the south end of the campus. Craig Hall is T-shaped and very popular due to its larger rooms. Triple, double and single rooms are available throughout Craig's four floors, each of which is divided into three wings. The bottom two floors house males and the upper two floors house females. A resident assistant and approximately 30 residents are located on each wing.

• Built 1957
• Named after Clyde Augustus Duniway,

University's second president

• abv. DDUN

All of the rooms are used as double rooms. There are four floors in the hall, two of which are occupied by females. Each floor has 2 resident assistants and houses about 60 students. Duniway Hall connects Craig and Elrod Hall and residents of Duniway share Elrod's facilities.

(The University of Montana Historic District Contributing Property) Originally South Hall

• Built 1921
• Named after Dr. Morton J. Elrod,

esteemed professor

• abv. DELR

The first men's residence on campus renamed Elrod Hall, opened in 1923 with seventy student rooms. Like its near-twin Brantly Hall, the facility was originally intended to be part of two U-shaped residential complexes. The Helena architectural firm of Link and Haire drew the blueprints for the Renaissance Revival style hall, which reflects the exuberance of spirit in campus buildings constructed under the Carsley-Gilbert campus master plan. Each floor is organized into horizontal divisions typical of the style. Red-brown brick, cream-colored terra cotta, and green Spanish roof tile label the building part of the Carsley-Gilbert group.

Elrod houses 109 male students on four floors. Due to the rooms having sinks and the availability of single rooms, Elrod is one of the more popular halls on campus. Elrod Hall is a smoke-free residence hall connected to Duniway Hall. Students living in Duniway Hall share Elrod's facilities.

• Built 1967
• Named after Dr. Richard H. Jesse, First Dean of Men
• abv. DJES

The hall is an 11-story high-rise located on the west edge of campus. Jesse Hall is a twin to Aber Hall. The L-shaped floors are occupied by students of the same sex and an elevator provides easy access to all floors. Except for the first and eleventh floors, each floor accommodates 40 students. It was built with the same layout as Aber Hall.

• Built 1963
• Named after Eloise Knowles,

One of the first two graduates of the University of Montana

• abv. DKNO

Knowles Hall, located directly north of the Lommasson Center, is a four-story residence hall housing 260 students. Each floor is divided into two wings, one of which is occupied by males and the other by females. An elevator provides easy access to all floors. Knowles Hall is a smoke-free building and very popular because of its central location. Spaces are reserved in Knowles for International students and members of the Honors College. The fourth floor is designated Substance-Free. The floor's residents sign a contract stating they will not possess, use or be under the influence of alcohol or illicit substances within the living environment.

• Built 1965 renovated 1996
• Named after J. Earl "Burly" Miller,

dean of men for two decades

• abv. DMIL

Miller's renovation, completed in 1996, made substantial changes not only to the interior but also the exterior of the building creating additional single-living spaces that have proven popular with UM students. Miller Hall has a capacity of 326 students living in either three bed suites (96), single penthouse rooms (40) or regular double rooms (190), sharing bathroom facilities located on each wing. The suites consist of three bed rooms (approximately 8×10 ft) entering into a shared living space. The penthouse rooms are located on the "fifth" floor, which is tucked under a peaked roof with each room having a gabled window. The rooms are furnished with moveable furniture allowing some flexibility in living space arrangements. Each floor is divided into two wings, each wing being occupied by a different sex.

• Built 1995
• Named after Robert Pantzer,

UM's president from 1966–1973

• abv. DPAN

Located on the southwest side of campus, creating a plaza with Elrod/Duniway and Miller Halls, Pantzer Hall has a capacity of 201 with 184 of the assignments within four-person suites. There are also 8 single rooms with private bathrooms available. Each suite has four private bedrooms, two bathrooms, common living room, storage closet, refrigerator and microwave oven. During the academic year, weekly custodial service is provided for the bathroom areas. Included in each room are cable TV and High-Speed internet ports. Each room is also wired for phone services should the residents choose to opt into this service. Pantzer Hall is accessible to students with disabilities.

(The University of Montana Historic District Contributing Property) Originally New Hall

• Built 1939
• Named after Mrs. Belle B. Turner (1956)
• abv. DTUR

The placement of this women's residence hall prohibited further development of a women's U-shaped dormitory complex as outlined by the Carsley-Gilbert campus master plan of the previous decade. Architects H. E. Kirkemo of Missoula and J. Van Teylingen of Great Falls designed the building, completed in 1939, in the Renaissance Revival-inspired style outlined by the older plan. Yet the architects were not to be bound by Renaissance Revival. Liberal modern touches such as a towered entryway and asymmetrically placed windows deny emphasis of the older style, and suggest the subtle encroachment of Art Deco ideas. The former women's residence, renamed Turner Hall, now houses offices.

Turner Hall, originally called New Hall, was built in 1939. In 1956, the hall was renamed in honor of Mrs. Belle B. Turner, who served as a dorm mother in Craig, Corbin, and New Halls. Located at the center of campus, Turner Hall offers double rooms with a sink in each room. The smoke-free hall has four levels and houses 116 women.

(The University of Montana Historic District Contributing Property)

• abv. HEAT

Red-brown brick, cream terra cotta, and huge Tudor style windows belie the utilitarian function of this lofty building. Missoula architects Ole Bakke and Clarence Forbis ingeniously applied the Renaissance Revival style of other contemporary campus buildings, completing the plant in 1922. The smokestack, boilers, mechanical works, and the tall coal-storage structure tucked onto the building's east side were designed by the engineering firm of Charles L. Pillsbury Company of Minneapolis and St. Paul. Though situated just outside the edge of the plan designed by Carsley and Gilbert, the building's design makes an important contribution to the overall quality of the university's historic architecture.

• Built 1967
• abv. PP

(The University of Montana Historic District Contributing Property) Originally Student Union Building

• Built 1956
• abv. FA

Missoula architect C. J. Forbis ushered in a new campus building phase in 1935 with the construction of this student union. The building's placement and modern Art Deco façade broke ranks with the Renaissance Revival style called for in the old Carsley-Gilbert campus master plan. The old plan had contained no such facility, and the new building was sited contrary to the previous symmetrical campus arrangement. It now serves as the Fine Arts Building.

• Built 1953
• abv. MUS

• Built 1985
• abv. PART, PARTV

• Built 1981,2000
• abv. SB

• Built 2005
• abv. BRB

(The University of Montana Historic District Contributing Property) Originally University Library 1908-1923

• Built 1909
• Named after Jeannette Rankin

Jeanette Ranking was a 1902 graduate of UM. She was a social worker and suffragist. Jeannette was the first woman elected to U.S. Congress in 1916 and was re-elected in 1940. She was the only member of Congress to vote against the United States' entry into both world wars.

• abv. JRH

This enduring landmark was the fifth and final contribution to the campus by renowned Missoula architect A. J. Gibson. A work of exquisite craftsmanship and the university's only example of Neo-classical architecture, the dramatic classical portico on the front of the building is typical of this style, which peaked during the early 20th century. The interior was extensively remodeled in 1923 to accommodate the University Law School, and again in 1961 to house the Psychology Department. In 1983, the building was renamed Rankin Hall after 1902 graduate Jeannette Rankin, the first United States congresswoman.

Formerly The Science Complex

• Built 1971
• Named after Charles H. Clapp
• abv. CHCB

(The University of Montana Historic District Contributing Property)

• Built 1921
• abv. FOR

Completion of this facility in 1922 provided the School of Forestry a permanent home. In the Renaissance Revival style specified by Carsley-Gilbert's master plan, Missoula architect Ole Bakke designed a distinctive building that vividly proclaims its discipline. Simple lines enhance the beautiful green pine and ax emblem repeated in terra cotta thirty-seven times around the building. Murals within depicting the history of forestry in Montana by Helena artist Irvin “Shorty” Shope further individualize this unique facility. The building's only significant alteration is a greenhouse added in 1951, named in memory of six students who perished fighting the 1949 Mann Gulch fire.

• Built 1921
• abv. FOR

• Built 1948, 2009
• Named after Phyllis J. Washington
• abv. ED

• Built 1962, 2010
• abv. LAW

(The University of Montana Historic District Contributing Property)

• Built 1938
• abv. CP

A Public Works Administration loan and bonds funded the construction of this facility, completed in 1939. Architects R. C. Hugenin of Butte and Norman DeKay of Helena designed the distinctive building amidst criticism over the unusual mixing of styles. The rusticated red-brown brick and horizontal division between the first and second floors are elements of the Renaissance Revival style seen in earlier campus buildings. A central projecting pavilion, however, reminiscent of Beaux Arts Classicism, interrupts the façade with a vertical focus. Even though an animal laboratory (1951) and skywalk (1981) have been added to the building, the façade retains its original appearance.

• abv. CS

• Built 1996
• abv. DHC

• Built
• Named after Don Anderson
• abv. DAH

• Built 1996
• Named after William and Rosemary Gallagher
• abv. GBB

• Built 1980
• Named after Harold Urey
• abv. ULH

• Built 1961
• abv. HS

(The University of Montana Historic District Contributing Property) Originally Woman's Art Club Building

• Built 1937
• abv. IC

Architects designing campus buildings between 1935 and 1939 were faced with a dilemma. Should they choose the Renaissance Revival style of most previous campus buildings or opt for the modern designs prevailing throughout the nation? In a compromise, three of the five buildings constructed during this phase allude to the previous style, but the Student Union and this building proudly illustrate the modern Art Deco architectural movement. Very simple in design, the building features a flat roof, windows framed in terra cotta, and a stepped parapet. Completed in 1937, the building was financed by the Woman's Club of Missoula and the PWA. It originally served as a clubhouse and art building housing the first art museum in the inland Northwest. Later occupied by the Alumni Association, the building now accommodates Continuing Education and the Woman's Club of Missoula.

• abv. INTH

• Built 1997
• Named after James E. Todd
• abv. TODD

• Built 1953
• abv. LA

• Built 1903, 2007
• abv. MATH

• Built 1953, Renovated 2004
• abv. MCG

• Built 1918
• abv. NAS

(The University of Montana Historic District Contributing Property)

• Built 1919
• abv. NS

The first building added to the campus after 1908 was this facility, which housed the most modern equipment for all branches of life science research, including a stereopticon and motion picture apparatus. Begun in 1917 and completed in 1919, it was the first of eight campus buildings designed according to the new Carsley-Gilbert master plan, which inspired ordered expansion of the University. Architects McIver, Cohagen, and Marshall of Billings chose the Renaissance Revival style thus setting the standard for the remaining Carsley-Gilbert plan buildings added between 1922 and 1927. In 1977, the facility was renamed the Botany Building in honor of its sole remaining occupant.

• Built 1938
• Named after
• abv.

This 1938 addition to the Renaissance Revival style Botany Building (formerly Natural Science) offers an excellent example of the importance of Public Works Administration funds during the Depression Era to the expansion of the University of Montana. The U-shaped annex of brick and glass originally contained a fully equipped botanical laboratory, experimental animal rooms, and a greenhouse. Equipped now solely for use by the Botany Department, the annex, with its red-brown exterior and hipped roof, was carefully designed to be architecturally compatible with the older building.

• Built 1999
• Named after
• abv.

(The University of Montana Historic District Contributing Property)

• Built 1936
• abv. SH

Dean Arthur Stone pitched four tents near the Oval in 1914, thereby founding the University's School of Journalism. An old bicycle shed and later World War I army barracks served as quarters for this discipline, then considered “non-essential.” After a long struggle, the Public Works Administration appropriated building funds. Architects R. C. Hugenin of Butte and Norman DeKay of Helena designed the 1937 Renaissance Revival-inspired building, adding liberal modern touches and asymmetrically placed windows. Home of the university newspaper, The Kaimin, and dedicated to Dean Stone, this building represents the hard-won acceptance of journalism as an academic discipline.

• Built 2010

Entrance to the Payne Family Native American Center

The Payne Family Native American Center is the first facility in the United States to be built exclusively for the Department of Native American Studies and American Indian Student Services. A dedication was held May 13, 2010, to celebrate the facility's new home at the University of Montana in Missoula, Montana. The building's structure is based around a 12-sided rotund style design, with each side representing one of the 12 tribes in Montana. The Payne Family Native American Center is the most recent facility to be built at the University and occupies the last of its usable building space around the oval.[6]

(The University of Montana Historic District Contributing Property) Originally (Men's Gymnasium)

• Built 1921
• abv. SG

Helena architect George Carsley and New York architect Cass Gilbert designed the campus master plan implemented between 1918 and 1927. Although Carsley continued as consultant on other buildings erected under the plan, this 1922 gymnasium is the only university building that he designed exclusively. It is also the only one of the group deviating from the Renaissance Revival style Gilbert and Carsley specified. Strong vertical emphasis, blocky massing, and stylized decoration characterize this early expression of the Art Deco style, while materials used in construction visually conform to other Carsley-Gilbert campus buildings. Renamed Schreiber Gym, the facility now houses ROTC.

(The University of Montana Historic District Contributing Property) Originally University Library 1922-1974

• Built 1921
• abv. SS

Of the eight campus buildings constructed on the Carsley-Gilbert master plan, the library appropriately best expresses the Renaissance Revival style. Billings architects McIver and Cohagen designed this architectural gem with its Spanish tile roof, simple terra cotta ornamentation, and distinctive windows, symbolizing in form and function the heart of the University. In 1955, a four-story utilitarian addition and division of the lofty reading room on the second story into two floors expanded the space. A new library opened in 1974 and the building changed in function, but its stately presence remains the symbolic heart of campus.

(The University of Montana Historic District Contributing Property)

Architects designing campus buildings between 1935 and 1939 were faced with a dilemma. Should they choose the Renaissance Revival style of most previous campus buildings or should they opt for the modern designs prevailing throughout the nation? In a compromise, three of the five buildings constructed during this phase allude to the previous style, but the Student Union and the Alumni Center proudly illustrate the modern Art Deco architectural movement. Very simple in design, the building features a flat roof, windows framed in terra cotta, and a stepped parapet. Completed in 1937, the Women's Club and Art Museum later occupied the Alumni Center. The building now houses Continuing Education.

(The University of Montana Historic District Contributing Property)

• Created 1896

Professor Frederick Scheuch and first university President Oscar Craig created the original campus master plan in 1895. The plan specified that the entrances of all immediate and future campus buildings were to face the center of a large oval. Ovals were a formal element commonly used in landscape design of the late 19th century, especially on academic campuses. Although only Main Hall and Science Hall (razed in 1984) were placed exactly according to the Craig-Scheuch plan, the beautifully landscaped Oval, surrounded by its eclectic collection of early buildings, remains a focal point of the campus.

Prescott House - Front and side view - University of Montana

(The University of Montana Historic District Contributing Property)

• Built 1898

Prominent state legislator and county commissioner Clarence R. Prescott homesteaded here in 1891, planting a vast orchard of plum, cherry, pear, and apple trees. In 1898, Prescott replaced his original log dwelling with this beautiful Queen Anne style residence. The home was patterned after the childhood home of Prescott's wife Julia, a schoolteacher, who had come to Montana from Pennsylvania in 1880. Today the Prescott homestead is one of the few remaining links to the agricultural foundations of Missoula. The property was owned by the family until 1955 when the University of Montana purchased the Prescott acreage. Son Clarence Prescott, Jr., was then granted life tenancy of the house and 1-acre (4,000 m²).

[7][8][9]