The Council of Independent Colleges: Historic Campus Architecture Project

Marsh Hall

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Marsh Hall (front facade), Pacific University

Institution Name: Pacific University
Original/Historic Place Name: Marsh Memorial Hall
Location on Campus: 2043 College Way
Date(s) of Construction:

1895	original construction Whidden & Lewis
1995-1997	restoration after fire

Designer: Whidden & Lewis (Portland, OR)
Type of Place: Individual building
Style: Gothic revival, Other (Glossary)
Significance: architecture, education, history, religion
Narrative: see below
References: see below

Materials:

Foundation:

Walls: stone

Roof: slate

Function:

ca. 1895	chapel (Brighton Chapel)
ca. 1895	library
ca. 1895-present (2006)	administration
ca. 1895-present (2006)	classrooms
ca. 2004-present (2006)	other (Technical Information Center)
ca. 2004-present (2006)	academic department building (Division of Social Sciences academic offices)
ca. 2004-present (2006)	auditorium (Taylor auditorium)

Narrative:
Marsh Hall was named for Pacific University's first president, Rev. Sydney Harper Marsh, who served from 1854 to 1879. The building has a distinctive history of service to the University community. The exterior stonework comes from the old Boos quarry near Gaston. This stone was also used on the Pioneer Post Office in downtown Portland, also designed by Whidden & Lewis.

In March 1975, a fire destroyed the interior of the building. It was restored and modernized over a two-year period.

References:

Miranda, Gary, and Rick Read. Splendid Audacity, The Story of Pacific University. Forest Grove, OR: Pacific University, 2000.

On Your Own Two Feet, A Self-Guided Tour of Our Historic Campus. Pamphlet. Forest Grove, OR: Pacific University, 2003.