The Council of Independent Colleges: Historic Campus Architecture Project

John L. and Belle Igleheart Building

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John L. and Belle Igleheart Building, University of Evansville

Institution Name: University of Evansville
Original/Historic Place Name: President's House
Location on Campus: Lincoln Ave.
Date(s) of Construction:

1947	original construction Anderson & Veatch

Designer: Anderson & Veatch
Type of Place: Individual building
Style: Gothic revival, Other (Glossary)
Significance: architecture
Narrative: see below
References: see below

Materials:

Foundation: limestone

Walls: limestone

Roof: shingle

Function:

ca. 1947-1980	president's house
ca. 1980-present (2006)	administration (offices of Alumni, Development and Annual Giving)

Narrative:
Built in 1929, the former President's House was the second major structure on the campus. Though it followed the spirit of the 1921 plan, it was nevertheless an important departure. The original campus plan did not envision a separate, free-standing residence for its president. The Circle was to be flanked on the east and west by two subordinate quads formed by dormitory and classroom buildings. The 1929 President's House, however, was placed well to the west of the central quadrangle and nearer to Lincoln Avenue than the 1921 campus plan had indicated for any of the planned buildings.

The two story edifice preserved the unity of the original plan, however, as far as materials and architectural style were concerned. The Tudor Revival structure is clad in the same Bedford limestone as the Administration Hall and treated in the same random, articulated manner. Anderson and Veatch, the well-known architects and builders, drew plans for an asymmetrically-massed dwelling complete with the casement windows in the Tudor style with drop moldings, high pitched gable roofs and dormers, and a Gothic-arched recessed entranceway.

adapted from "University of Evansville," National Register report (1982).

References:

Evansville Department of Metropolitan Development. Evansville College. National Register of Historic Places designation report. Washington, DC: U.S. Department of the Interior/National Park Service, 1983.

Klinger, George. We Face the Future Unafraid: A Narrative History of the University of Evansville. Evansville, IN: University of Evansville Press, 2003.

Olmsted, Ralph. From Institute to University. Evansville, IN: University of Evansville, 1983.