Washington State College (now Washington State University) was founded in 1890, and began offering courses in January of 1892. During World War II, attendance fell dramatically as prospective students instead became soldiers, but attendance rebounded equally strongly in the other direction after the war ended, with those GIs returning for educations. A building boom was necessitated at WSC to create sufficient space for instruction and to house those students and their families. Many of the new facilities were war surplus, transported to WSC from Spokane, Vancouver, and Richland, Washington, as well as Farragut, Idaho. None of these temporary facilities survived past the 1990s, though the more permanent projects remain.
This collection consists of 23 black and white photographs of Washington State College building construction immediately after World War II, and corresponding descriptions. The descriptions, created circa 1948, include completion dates, cost, sources of funding, and details of space, usage, heating, building materials, and others information.
The photographs and descriptive information were compiled for Washington State College President Wilson Compton. Although Compton boasted that he dramatically increased the square footage on campus, most of this growth came from the construction of temporary facilities.
The photographs were apparently originally bound in a notebook such that, when laid open, the reader would see both a photograph on one page and a description on the other. As a result, descriptions on the back of each photograph apply to a different photograph. However, at some point someone at MASC photocopied all the descriptions, and placed a copy of the appropriate description in the protective sleeve with each image.
The collection is arranged in what appears to be its original order.
This collection is open and available for research use.
Copyright restrictions apply.
[Item description]
Photographs of Post-World War II Building Construction at Washington State College, 1946-1948 (PC 80)
Manuscripts, Archives, and Special Collections, Washington State University Libraries, Pullman, WA.
Washington State University Libraries' Manuscripts, Archives, and Special Collections (MASC) holds no information on the provenance of this collection, though it most likely came to MASC in the late 1980s. Given that President Compton's papers (Archives 160) were reworked in 1988, one could speculate that these may have been separated from them at that time.
Photographs of these and other WSU buildings can be found in
Washington State University Photographs Subject File, 1892-1999
This collection is indexed under the following headings in the online catalog. Researchers desiring materials about related topics, persons, or places should search the catalog using these headings.
Two-story, temporary buildings of frame construction. Both exterior and interior surfaces are of gypsum board. All three units heated from one central boiler. Each unit includes a community kitchen for light lunches and small lounge. There are 31 double rooms and quarters for one counselor in each unit. Used for housing married students and some staff members.
Twenty-nine of the units in Washington Square are prefabricated houses moved from Richland, Washington. These have plywood exterior and interior surfaces and cost the College an average of $1,735 per unit. Eleven other units are frame buildings, designed and constructed for The State College of Washington on their present sites. These cost the College an average of $5,424 per unit. All units have individual space heaters. Used to house faculty.
One-story frame buildings. Exterior walls are made of clap board with gypsum-board interior finishes. Each unit has a combination living room-kitchen, bath, and two or three bedrooms. There is a car port for each of the 54 units. Units furnished with electric water heater, electric range, electric refrigerator, and oil space heater. Used for housing faculty and staff.
One and two-story frame buildings. Exterior walls are shingle with gypsum-board interior surfaces. Each unit furnished with oil space heater and oil range. There are 240 units, of which four have three bedrooms, 24 have one bedroom, and 212 have two bedrooms. Used for housing married students and a few staff members.
A two-story, temporary building of frame construction. Exterior 2 x 4 stud walls are covered with plywood on exterior with gypsum-board interior surfaces. Foundations are wood piers. Warm air from steam-heated coils is forced to the rooms. There are 88 single rooms, 134 double rooms, 2 head resident’s suites, 2 counselor’s quarters, 4 lounges, and 4 laundries. Used as a men’s dormitory. Floor area totals 56,280 square feet.
A two-story, temporary building of frame construction. Exterior 2 x 4 stud walls are covered with plywood on exterior with gypsum-board interior surfaces. Foundations are wood piers. Warm air from steam-heated coils is forced to the rooms. There are 78 single rooms, 120 double rooms, 2 head resident's suites, 2 counselor’s quarters, 4 lounges, and 4 laundries. Used as a men's dormitory. Floor area totals 52,120 square feet.
A two-story, temporary building of frame construction. Exterior 2 x 4 stud walls are covered with plywood on exterior with gypsum-board interior surfaces. Foundations are wood piers. Warm air from steam-heated coils is forced to the rooms. There are 88 single rooms, 134 double rooms, 2 head resident’s suites, 2 counselor’s quarters, 4 lounges, and 4 laundries. Used as a men’s dormitory. Floor area totals 56,280 square feet.
A two-story, temporary building of frame construction. Exterior 2 x 4 stud walls are covered with plywood on exterior with gypsum-board interior surfaces. Foundations are wood piers. Warm air from steam-heated coils is forced to the rooms. There are 88 single rooms, 134 double rooms, 2 head resident’s suites, 2 counselor’s quarters, 4 lounges, and 4 laundries. Used as a men’s dormitory. Floor area totals 56,280 square feet.
Group of 64 well constructed individual houses built to meet F.H.A. standards. They are of frame construction with concrete foundations. There are nine basic designs, 3 have three bedrooms, 6 have two bedrooms. Houses are heated by automatic forced warm air from coal and oil furnaces. Each house furnished with electric range and water heater. Used for housing faculty.
A one-story, temporary building of wood-frame construction. It has plywood exterior and gypsum-board interior surfaces. Building contains kitchen and preparation rooms, post office, and large dining room. Approximately 5,100 meals served daily to students. Floor area totals 23,790 square feet. It is heated by steam from the Central Heating Plant.
A one-story, temporary building of frame construction. It has a partial basement and is heated by steam heat from the Central Heating Plant. There are 27 offices, 10 classrooms, 5 laboratories, and 2 projection rooms in the building. Overall dimensions are 216’ x 76’ and floor area totals 11,416 square feet. The building is "E" shaped.
A one-story, temporary building of wood-frame construction. It has a concrete
basement and utilizes steam heat from the Central Heating Plant. It has 29
offices, 3 classrooms, and 6 laboratories. The overall dimensions are 216 x
76 feet and the floor area totals 20,464 square feet. The building is "E"
shaped.
A one-story, temporary building of wood-frame construction. It is not heated. Floor area totals 3,750 square feet. Overall dimensions are 25’ x 150 ‘.
A one-story, temporary building of wood-frame construction. Two-thirds of the floor is concrete. It contains living quarters for two students, a laboratory, poultry pens, and an incubator room. Heated by steam from Central Heating Plant. Overall dimensions are 25 x 150 feet. Floor area totals 3,750 square feet. Floor are totals 3,750 square feet.
A one-story, temporary building of frame construction. Heated by steam. Overall dimensions are 25 x 150 feet and floor area totals 3,750 square feet.
A two-story building with partial basement. Constructed of combination frame and masonry. There are 10 offices, 3 classrooms, and 6 shops. Floor area totals 17,088 square feet. Overall dimensions are 138 x 111 feet. Heated by steam from Central Heating Plant.
A two-story building of brick and concrete construction. Has wood floors with exception of concrete ground floor. There are 7 classrooms, 1 office, and 6 laboratories in the building. Overall dimensions are 226' x 60' and floor area totals 24,832 square feet. Heated by steam from Central Heating Plant.
A concrete frame building with brick veneer face. It is a one-story building with a partial second floor and mezzanine. Overall dimensions are 165’ x 64’ and floor area totals 16,320 square feet. The building will contain one office, a pilot plant, and ore grinding and smelting rooms. Heated by steam from Central Heating Plant.
A brick and concrete building that will house the Washington State Institute of Technology. It will have three and one-half stories when completed and will contain 15 offices, 10 shops, and 46 laboratories. Overall dimensions are 350’x57’. Floor area will total 90,352 square feet.
A reinforced concrete building with a brick veneer face. One wing has overall dimensions of 85'8" x 134’, and the other wing 65'4" x 252'2". Floor area will total 134,011 square feet. Both wings have stories and basement. Included in the building are 44 offices, 50 classrooms, and one large lecture room seating 700 people.
Reinforced concrete building with brick veneer face, Class A construction. Overall dimensions are 135' x 270' and there will be four stories and basement. The building will be completely air-conditioned and will have asphalt tile floors and acoustical tile ceilings. Floor area will total 207,900 square feet. Heated by steam from Central Heating Plant.