Introduction

Origins

The City

Collegeville (1887, 1895)
College Delta (1898, 1899)
Oakwood (1899)
Cedar Banks (1900)
College Grove (1903)
Fairview (1904, 1905)
College Heights (1904)

Charter of 1907

Avondale (1913)
Bungalow Knolls (1916)
Chesterfield Hills (1916)
Ardson (1919)
Ridgeley Park (1921)
Strathmore (1925)
Glen Cairn (1926)
Bailey (1927)
Touraine (1927)

The Campus

Chronology

Interactive Map

Sites on the National and State Historic Registers

Complete list of
Significant Structures

Sources

First Dairy Building — Chittenden Hall (1901) SR

First Dairy Building, circa 1934, when it was the Forestry Building. Photo Credit: M.S.U. Physical Plant.

This building, the first on campus built specifically for dairy operations, was designed by George Lohman and dedicated in 1901. By the time of its dedication the Dairy had already been in use for a few months, as the equipment had been moved out of the basement of the Agricultural Laboratory, next door, in late 1900.[Beal, p.132. Kuhn, p.212]

In 1912 a new Dairy was completed (see below), and operations moved there in the following year. The Department of Forestry moved into the old Dairy in 1914, and the frieze above the entrance was replaced with the one extant, which reads "Forestry" in bas-relief lettering stylized to look like tree limbs.

Forestry remained here until 1966, when the Natural Resources Building was completed. Three years later, the hall was named in honor of Alfred K. Chittenden (1879-1930), Professor of Forestry from 1914 until his death. Professor Chittenden was famous for his research on reforestation and maple sugar. He developed a nursery on campus, and was instrumental in the formation of the Michigan Forestry and Park Association, a professional organization.[Stanford, p.57]

Chittenden Hall is currently being renovated, and when complete will house the Graduate School. As part of the Laboratory Row, it is listed on the state historic register.

An artifact of this building's original use still exists. In the north wall are a pair of doors that stand a few feet off the ground and appear to lead nowhere. A wooden ramp once led to these doors, and this was the entryway for dairy cattle.

Cattle entrance in north wall of Chittenden Hall, Autumn 1992. Photo Credit: Kevin S. Forsyth.

Second Dairy Building — Soil Sciences (1912 — 1985)

Second Dairy Building, circa 1934. Photo Credit: M.S.U. Physical Plant.

A new Dairy Building was completed in 1912 at the northern terminus of Farm Lane, east of Agriculture Hall. The two-story building, measuring 121 by 77 feet, was constructed in reinforced concrete at a cost of $50,000. It was used by the Department of Dairy Husbandry and the College Creamery; it also contained classrooms for general use.[Beal, p.285]

Dairy operations later moved south of the river, along with the other farm operations, and this building became the home of the Department of Crop and Soil Sciences. Renamed the Soil Sciences Building, it stood until 1985 when the department moved to the new Plant and Soil Sciences Building.

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