Electrical Hall was an interesting early building on Ohio State campus located nearby University Hall. It had a rather short lifespan and not too much history, but I think it’s a good example of very early campus architecture. Electrical Hall was located on north campus where Annie and John Glenn Avenue runs now, and the site is currently bordered by Cockins Hall to the north, University Hall to the south, Dulles Hall to the east, and the empty Neil-17th Building site to the west.
History
Historic photo of Electrical Hall. (Historic Campus Map)
Electrical Hall was designed in 1889 by “Yost and Fay” (Joseph W. Yost of Yost & Packard and F. W. Fay, who also designed Chemical Hall as associated architects). Its construction began in June of that year, and it was completed by September 1, 1889. With a wood frame and brick exterior, it was a simple Italianate design.
I think the scale and simplicity of Electrical Hall represents the small size and budget of the university. University Hall was the “flagship” that housed pretty much every other department, while the more industrial ones were lumped into less remarkable buildings like Electrical Hall.
Interior of the building. (Historic Campus Map)
In 1907, the Board of Trustees voted to move electrical engineering from Electrical Hall to Robinson Lab. After this, the building was renovated and used by the English department, which gave it the alternate name of “English Building.” However, in March 1914, Electrical Hall suffered severe damage from a fire. The building was apparently purchased by a contractor for $25 and ostensibly demolished or removed, and the English department moved into the new east wing of Mendenhall Lab.
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