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Virtual Historical Tour
29. Robinson Hall
 In June 1841, the cornerstone to Central
Hall (or Middle Building) was laid; the first official building on Albion
College's campus. It opened for the first class and the first work of the
school in November 1843. For the first few years of the school's history,
the building served as a women's dormitory, an administration building, and
dining hall, as well as occasional lecture room. For most of its 67 years,
the building had a long porch at the second floor level with stairs leading
down to the ground from it. There was no furnace, electric lights, or
running water. The 150 girls living there had to carry up their own wood and
water. Each room had a small stove. There was no other heat until 1895.
Classes were first held in Robinson Hall about 1870; and the girls were
moved to private homes.
On October 31, 1906, the Central Building was renamed "Robinson
Hall," after considerable remodeling and enlargement of the Central
Building. The transformation of the building was made possible by
the generosity of the Honorable George O. Robinson of Detroit, who
incurred the expense of the remodeling and expansion of the
building. The original
building was 100 ft. x 40 deep; an addition of 45 x 65 ft. was built in the
rear, giving the building a T-shaped structure. The interior of the original
building had to essentially be completely removed and replaced to provide
uniformity and modernity and classrooms suitable for the larger groups now
coming into the college. At this time, the building was said to contain the registar's office, the office of the preceptress, the co-operative book
store, the Y.M. and Y.W.C.A. rooms, biological and botanical laboratories, 7
lecture rooms, photography department, mission band room, museum and 3 rooms
occupied by literary societies.
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 Dedication
Program 1906 |
 From
a student scrapbook. Central and North Halls, n.d. |
 [To]
Miss Inez Whistler, Beaton Ridge, Ohio. Pardon
slowness: Hope you are all O.K. We are nearly afloat here &
river still coming up. Be good - I am? M.R.S.
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 [To]
Mrs. D.L. Mil.., Albion, MI]
I hardly think I will be able to
make the train this P.M. Have to go to school this morning,
Cleora. [Postmarked 1910] |
 "Old
Central Building," n.d. |
 Central
Hall with the Rock in its original location, n.d. |
[To] Miss Dorothy Butler, Albion,
MI. So I warned you -
about your eye, you got it from Pudget or Albert or some of the
40 -
11 of 'em. I'd rather have a dog with a wiggly tail. When you
coming to see me? B. RD #8
[Postmarked Sept. 17, n.d.] |
 Central
Hall with the Gymnasium behind, n.d. |
On December 16,1922,
Robinson Hall was gutted by a fire, assumed to have been started by bad
wiring in the Y.M.C.A. rooms about 10:30 at night. The local fire department
was unable to stop the blaze due to low water pressure and the lack of a
pumping engine. An engine came from Marshall in record time and helped save
North (now Vulgamore Hall) and South (now Kellogg Center/Dickie Hall) Halls
The cost of the damage was estimated
at $75,000 with only $41,000 in insurance to cover it. The hardest hit was the Biology Department. Quick action by students managed to save Dr. Chickering's prized
microscope (a special gift from Dr. Samuel Dickie years before), but his collection of
50 original slides documenting nine years of research
were lost. All 1200 volumes of the natural science library and of Dr. Chickering's
personal collection, as well as over 2500 instructional slides valued at
$12,000 were destroyed. The English Department faculty, specifically
Professor P.H. Hembdt lost personal notes on Shakespeare, Browning, and
Tennyson, collected during 20 years of reading and his personal library as
well was burned. It can only be supposed that the museum that was supposed
to be housed in the building was destroyed as well. It has also been noted that many of the College's
historical records from 1835-1922 may have been lost in this fire, which
correlates with holes found in the documentary record of the College as it
exists in the Archives today.
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The Building Committee of George E. Dean, Robert Baldwin,
William W. Tefft, Edward D. Horner and President Laird were determined Robinson Hall
be rebuilt. The new Robinson Hall was erected around the skeleton of the
walls of the old building and completed in 1924. North Hall was also damaged by
the fire on the third floor and the roof.
Until 1939, the building was the center of the college
again, as its administrative offices were in a suite of rooms on the second
floor originally planned for biology laboratories. Not until the Stockwell
Library was complete and the Gassette Library was remodeled into
administrative offices were these laboratories used for their original
purpose.
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Entrance, 1979 |
Photograph by Austin Studio |
South side, n.d. |
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There were renovations on Robinson Hall again in
1962-1963.
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1963 |
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After 1983, the building provided a temporary home for the
Departments of Anthropology and Sociology and Political Science.
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1982 |
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1982 |
Mickey Mouse?! n.d. |
Photograph by John M. Daniels, 1988 |
In
1992, a remodel converted the outdated science laboratories and classroom
space into efficient accommodations for the College's social sciences
departments. The renovation also included a 4-story atrium, restoration of
the cupola tower and the addition of a clock facing the Quad. It was
dedicated on October 16, 1992.
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One of
the favorite features of the building for students and visitors are the
gargoyles over the doorways inside each restroom. Each one is different, and
students often name them for professors.
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