Home Economics Building

Creator

Franklin Studio

Preview

Creation Date

1-1-1926

Description

Home Economics Building built from Cabell Hall
Other Names - Industrial Education Annex
Date Built - 1926
Date Razed - 1982
Architect - Brinton Davis

History:
The building was used as the Music Hall from approximately 1911 to 1926. The School of Music was located on the first floor of the hall. The School of Domestic Science and Arts was located on the second floor.

The stones of Cabell Hall were reused to construct the Home Economics Building in 1926, making room for Gordon Wilson Hall on the original site. The Home Economics Building was located next to Helm Library and was renamed the Industrial Education Annex.

Press Release, Oct. 18, 1982

One of Western Kentucky University's oldest campus buildings is coming down.

The Industrial Education Annex Building atop the Hill next to Margie Helm Library is being removed, because Western doesn't have more than $600,000 it needs to renovate the building . . .

"The building first housed the music and home economics departments," Lowell Harrison says. "These departments remained in the building for years, until each was housed in other locations as the campus grew," Harrison says.

Most recently the building was used for industrial education students, but when they moved into the Science & Technology Building [College High], the abandoned annex became an eyesore.

Initial efforts to secure funding for renovation of the building were made in the 1974-76 biennial budget, but adequate funds weren't made available.

Western received no financial support for facilities renovation in the 1982-84 executive budget, so physical plant personnel began tearing the building down Oct. 15.

Materials from the building will again be salvaged, according to Owen Lawson, physical plant administrator. maple flooring will go to the Kentucky Building for a "Growing Up Victorian" exhibit, and the stone from the building will be saved, some of it to be used as a retaining wall for a parking lot which will be constructed on the building's site.

"Careful attention will be given to the landscaping because this building had so many memories for people," Lawson said, crediting three engineering technology students, Darrell Bale and Jerry Hack of Bowling Green, and David Hawes of Owensboro, for the 60-space parking lot design.