The Council of Independent Colleges: Historic Campus Architecture Project

P. E. O. Administration Building

Click on image titles for larger views.

P. E. O. Administration Building, Iowa Wesleyan College

Institution Name: Iowa Wesleyan College
Original/Historic Place Name: P. E. O. Memorial Library
Location on Campus: Central Campus
Date(s) of Construction:

1927	original construction Schmidt, Lorenz for Schmidt, Beucher & Overland

Designer: Lorenz Schmidt for Shmidt, Beucher & Overland
Type of Place: Individual building
Style: Beaux-Arts classicism (Glossary)
Significance: education, history
Narrative: see below
References: see below

Materials:

Foundation: stone

Walls: brick

Roof:

Function:

ca. 1869	other (private offices of P.E.O. Sisterhood)
ca. 1869	library
ca. 2004-present (2006)	administration (President's office, development, admissions, financial aid, extended learning, registrar)

Narrative:
The ties between Iowa Wesleyan and the P.E.O International Sisterhood were made visible with the construction of the P.E.O. Library. As the founding location of this 134 year old organization that has over 250,000 members, the building is a tribute to the seven Iowa Wesleyan women students who formed P.E.O. The building in itself is somewhat unique. Since it was to house a library, the building was an entirely fireproof structure of solid reinforced concrete with a veneer of Indiana limestone, buff brick, and fluted stone trim. Even the window frames are metal. Ground was broken for the building in January 1927, the corner stone was laid in April, and the building was dedicated in September.

References:

Corkhill, Thomas E. "The Birth of Iowa Wesleyan." Mt. Pleasant Iowa Wesleyan, November 30, 1896.

Duree, Mabel Hall, et al. History of P. E. O. in Iowa. [s.l.]: Iowa State Chapter of P. E. O. (Wayside Press), 1952.

Haselmayer, Louis A. The P. E. O. Sisterhood at Iowa Wesleyan College. Mt. Pleasant, IA: Iowa Wesleyan College, 1967.

Haselmayer, Louis A. A Sesquicentennial History of Iowa Wesleyan College (1842-1992). Mt. Pleasant, IA: Iowa Wesleyan College, 1992.

Kennedy, Charles J. History and Alumni Record of Iowa Wesleyan College 1842-1942. Mt. Pleasant, IA: Iowa Wesleyan College, 1942.

Portrait and Biographical Album of Henry County, Iowa. Chicago: Acme Publishing Company, 1888.

Reeves, Winona Evans.The Story of P. E. O. 1924-1936. [s.l.]: Conco Press, 1936.