Photos from December 2024.
Ohio State seems to have had bad luck with chemistry buildings, as its first two burnt down. Derby Hall was the third, and it also suffered a fire, but it survived and stands today. While it doesn’t hold the chemistry department anymore, the building still remains an icon on the Oval. Derby Hall sits on the north side of the Oval, bordered by Denney Hall and Annie and John Glenn Avenue to the north, the green space of the Oval to the south, Hopkins Hall to the east, and Bricker Hall to the west. Let’s start with a history of the site of Derby Hall, as John Herrick documented the previous two buildings:
Chemistry Building #1 History
The first chemistry building before and after it burnt down in 1887/1889. (University Archives)
The chemistry department was originally located on the third floor of University Hall, but a new building was constructed on the future site of Brown Hall, across Annie and John Glenn/17th Avenue. This first Chemistry Building was designed in the Italianate style by J. T. Harris in 1882, and construction was finished before fall 1883. A fire destroyed the building in either 1887 (University Archives) or 1889 (John Herrick, University Photoarchives), which was allowed to burn due to a lack of water.
Chemistry Building #2/Chemical Hall History
The second chemistry building before (1893) and after its fire c. 1904. (University Archives)
The second Chemistry Building was designed in 1889 by Joseph W. Yost (of Yost & Packard fame) and F. W. Fay. This Romanesque Revival building was framed in “slow-burning wood” and clad in brick. It was opened for the winter term in 1891, and its dedication was held on February 22, 1891. University architect Joseph N. Bradford designed an addition to the rear of the structure in 1902, which was completed in June 1903. Sadly, this second Chemistry Building also burnt down in 1904, which apparently occurred during “ludicrous happenings due to excitement” that night. Firefighters were concerned about the chemicals inside the building, although to this day it is unknown if they were a threat, so the fire was allowed to burn. That didn’t deter students from running inside anyways to save its contents.
Detail of the second Chemistry Building’s entry, c. 1900. (University Archives)
This building is definitely up there on the list of buildings I wish still stood on campus. Just look at those arches and capitals! Ugh.
Derby Hall History
After the second Chemistry Building burnt down in 1904, S. R. Burns of the firm Peters, Burns, and Pretzinger was commissioned to design a third building. This building is Derby Hall as it stands today. The picture below threw me off for a second because the original Neoclassical facade is now altered. It was built with a reinforced concrete frame and brick exterior. Construction began in October 1904 by Nichol and Carr and was finished on March 7, 1906, minus a few defects. It was first occupied by the Chemistry Department by April 4, 1906. A small brick garbage outbuilding was built at the rear in 1916, but John Herrick did not count this as an addition.
The Chemistry Building’s footprint in 1906.
The Chemistry Building c. 1909. (University Archives)
Six months after Derby Hall was completed, it too suffered damage from a fire. This prompted the university to commission Albert Pretzinger of Peters, Burns, and Pretzinger to design a fireproof storage room for volatile chemicals in 1908. The addition was built onto the rear of the building, but this seemed to be a case of form following function, as it looked a little funky. It was built starting July 1908 by D. W. McGrath and was finished during 1909. This addition was demolished in 1928, concurrent with the erection of the second addition.
The Chemistry Building’s footprint in 1909.
The Chemistry Building with its new addition, 1909. (University Archives)
In 1928, university architect Joseph N. Bradford designed a second addition to Derby Hall. This project added a large northern wing to the building, as well as a third floor to the original structure. It also demolished the earlier storage addition. Although no sources mention this, I believe the original facade was redone in Bradford’s style during this period. I say this because the original facade no longer exists and the current arched entrance is very similar to other works of his (Hale Hall, Jennings Hall, Campbell Hall). Construction began in August 1928, and the building was ready in summer 1930. The Chemistry Department moved to McPherson Laboratory, and Derby Hall was then occupied by English, Classical Languages, German, Romance Languages, and Phonetics.
Derby Hall’s footprint c. 1930.
Derby Hall after Bradford’s 1928 addition. (University Archives)
Derby Hall’s third addition was a WPA (Works Progress Administration) project, and little is known about it. According to the president’s annual report, Derby’s “Little Theater” was built during 1938, and university architect Howard Dwight Smith was the architect of a “Stage Switchboard” project that was initiated during the same year. This addition enclosed the courtyard formed after Bradford’s addition. His plans for the second addition originally called for a structure within that space, but it was not built at that time. I couldn’t find any photos that showed the exterior or interior of this addition, and it was demolished after 1986 but before 2024, possibly in 1991 during a renovation.
Derby Hall’s footprint as of 1938.
Derby Hall in 1948. (Buckeye Stroll)
A fourth addition was designed in 1961 by Wright and Gilfillen, which was a staircase to access the university bookstore in the basement. It was built starting February 1962 by Modular Construction Co. and was finished that October. This staircase is likewise no longer extant.
Derby Hall’s footprint as of 1962.
Derby Hall’s south facade in 1967. (Buckeye Stroll)
Derby Hall was renovated starting September 1991, noted in an unusual addendum to the John Herrick Archives after his death. (While the website says they are keeping the archives updated, most information stops after 1988.) This remodeling apparently “corrected long standing eficiencies” [sic] and brought the building up to code. It was executed by Newberg International Corp. and brought the building to its current net assignable square footage of 62,169. Derby Hall currently houses the Political Science and Geography departments.
Derby Hall was named after Latin professor Samuel Derby (1842-1921) on August 8, 1929. He served this role for 40 years, from 1881-1921, and also was the University Librarian (for no extra pay) and dean of the College of Arts and Sciences.
Apparently, Ohio State’s infamous bomb shelter was also right in front of Derby Hall. It was a small concrete room with metal doors, littered with beer cans and trash. I’m pretty sure it was recently demolished, since I didn’t see any metal hatches nearby.
The Oval bomb shelter. (u/ThatCrazyCanadian413 on Reddit)
Photos
Derby Hall’s facade was a nightmare to capture straight on, pretty similar to Hayes Hall. It was December when I took these, yet some of the leaves still clung to the trees.
When I punched through, I was then too close to get a wide enough shot:
An angled shot really is the best way to do it.
The west side has some interesting things going on:
The 1928 addition (left) is more stripped down than the front; missing the decorative cornice, much of the detail in the string course between the second and third floor, and the stone lintels over the windows. The windows themselves are also a little smaller. Note the pretty overt classicism in the west entrance:
The denticulated architrave over the doors is from the Greek Ionic order. The roof is crowned with a temple front. This entrance looks almost Postmodern with its proportions, abstracted string course, and large glass window. If you scaled the thing up enough, I feel like it would fit right in with the other goofy skyscrapers of that era. (I like Postmodernism and its aims, but sometimes the movement was outright ridiculous.)
Another look at the less elaborate 1928 addition:
Contrasted with Denney Hall at lower left, though, the difference is stark. No jutting courses or brick articulation on that Miesian metal facade. I shouldn’t pick favorites, but I think you know my answer…
The north, rear facade:
The central area is highly repetitive and almost robotic, which is made more apparent by its long span. The cornice is brought back for that portion, and abstracted pilasters support the string course.
The north entrances are similar, but they have a geometric window above the lintel. They kind of look like horizontal block O’s--I wonder if that was deliberate.
I did some different angles on the east facade, which is a mirror image of the west. Here, you can see how the later addition sets back a bit:
A detail of the east entrance--note the carved ornament surrounding the portal:
The crowning temple front:
I enjoy the articulation of the main entrance.
The voussoirs of the arch are false, as they appear to extrude outward from the bands of stone making up the remainder. I also like the crowning balustrade. Overall, the effect is not dissimilar to a miniature triumphal arch.
The “three-eyed monster” above:
The central window is made to be extra special--its molding is different:
I wonder what the torches represent…knowledge, maybe? Bet that’s the department head’s office or something.
The three octagonal windows above:
I always love the way these detail shots come out with the zoom lens--I’d even dare to say they’re my favorite part of covering a building. Note that the carved ornamental band surrounding the windows is the same as the kind around the east and west entrance as well.
The cornice’s ornament is rather decadent:
Here’s another look at it from the corner of the building. You can also see the way the edge is articulated with special brickwork quoins.
Even the peak of the roof has applied decoration. It’s hard to see unless you’re far away--this photo was taken with the highest zoom my lens would allow:
Right before I entered Derby Hall, I saw this sign honoring Samuel Derby:
The lobby mostly retains its original features, though they have been heavily altered:
The columns and molding are likely original, but they have been given a garish paint job in Ohio State’s colors. I think the end result is rather cartoonish and Postmodern, far from the grandeur that the decor was originally meant to convey. The flooring is unoriginal laminate. The central couch is out of place and defeats the axis that the building was designed with. This is just a bad renovation, and I’ve seen better on campus.
I do find the atrium to be charming, though:
The hanging Edison bulbs are a trendy contemporary move, but I think it is a more successful attempt at highlighting the original historic character of the space. I would love to study here at night. I’m not sure what the implement in the middle is for.
The remainder of the first floor is extensively modernized. It houses the Mershon Center and the Department of Geography, as well as some classrooms on the north side.
The stairways are very sleek and wide:
Note the double fleur-de-lis ornaments on the rails.
The second floor seemed to be offices, as well as the Department of Political Science’s Political Research Lab. Again, the space is renovated and a far cry from its former appearance.
As I continued to walk along the carpeted floors, I noticed that they were rather creaky, and I quickly surmised that there is probably nice wood flooring underneath that has since been covered up. Wood is more expensive and harder to maintain, but it looks much better. I hate the trend of covering up original wood flooring with carpet/tile.
The third floor is largely similar, housing the School of Communication. In one of the spaces right off the stairs is this writing desk:
I never got a picture of the plaque and I forgot just about everything it said, but the desk dates from the Civil War and it was used by J. S. Meyers, who was involved with the Middletown Journal.
The atrium again, from the top floor:
Note how the addition has cream-colored brick, while the original is detailed more intricately, due to its initial purpose as the rear facade.
I headed down to the basement and saw this ghost sign:
College campuses don’t really have bookstores anymore since the advent of the personal computer. If you consider a bookstore a place to buy books, OSU’s is probably the Barnes & Noble on High Street. The looser definition of a campus store in general would apply to the Union, but Barnes & Noble has become a glorified Ohio State clothing store ever since they took all of the books out of the ground floor.
The basement has most of Derby Hall’s classrooms. It’s largely unremarkable architecturally:
Some interesting spaces are down there, though. One door has all of these crazy warnings on it:
Another has three generations of signs on it:
Derby Hall is not scheduled for renovation on Framework 3.0. Personally, I think the building is an excellent candidate for restoration, given that many of its original features are present but obscured. I’m sure historic photos of the interior could be found and its character then brought back.
Sources:
https://kb.osu.edu/handle/1811/24059
https://kb.osu.edu/handle/1811/37314
https://library.osu.edu/site/archives/university-archives/
https://library.osu.edu/site/buckeyestroll/
https://www.reddit.com/r/OSU/comments/78pqre/bomb_shelter_exploration/
No comments:
Post a Comment