Francis Hall, the second building built on the NDAC campus, was constructed in 1893. Originally called "The Dormitory," it was, in 1898, named in honor of O.W. Francis, a former President of the Board of Directors of the College. The original size of the building was 47x130 feet. (NDAC Catalog, 1905-1906, p. 13).
The need for this dormitory was reported in the First Biennial Report of the North Dakota Agricultural College to the Governor of North Dakota (1891-92, p. 24). The Second Biennial Report (1893-94, p. 55) reported that the legislature of 1893 appropriated $17,000 for the building of the dormitory. In this report the building was described as a "well arranged, roomy and attractive building, having twenty-eight sleeping and study rooms en suite for fifty-six students, a large dining room with a seating capacity for seventy, fine reception and working rooms for the department of domestic economy, closets, bathrooms, etc., all heated by steam and lighted by electricity." (Second Biennial Report of the North Dakota Agricultural College to the Governor of North Dakota, 1893-94, p. 6).
Increased enrollment made it necessary to convert Francis Hall into classrooms and laboratories in 1899. The new space was used to house the laboratories in Horticulture, Veterinary Science, Agriculture, and Household Economics. A large agricultural and miscellaneous museum was also added, in addition to lecture rooms for farm mechanics, offices, recitation rooms, sewing rooms, and a seed room. (Fifth Biennial Report, 1900, p. 13).
In 1924 the building contained the offices of the North Dakota Agricultural Experiment Station and Extension division. (NDAC Catalog, 1924-25, p. 40). In 1931, $7,500 was appropriated for the remodeling of Francis Hall (NDAC Catalog, 1932-33, p. 26). That same year, the School of Pharmacy moved into Francis Hall, taking all of the first floor and half of the second (The Spectrum, Oct. 2, 1931, p. 1, 4).
A front page article in the March 14, 1941 edition of The Spectrum reported that the "Original Use of Francis Hall Now Forgotten." At this time, Francis Hall continued to house the School of Pharmacy laboratories and classrooms, as well as the Rural Sociology Department of the Experiment Station, the Extension Economics Department, and the Bureau of Agricultural Economics under the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
In 1959 the North Dakota Legislature appropriated $76,000 for remodeling Francis, however, President Fred S. Hultz pointed out problems of continued use of the hall. Francis had been inspected and its insurance value lowered to $6,000. This action convinced President Hultz that Francis should no longer be used, and should be demolished. As a result the legislature in 1961 appropriated $9,000 for its demolition (The Sunday Fargo Forum, "Wrecking of Francis Hall At NDSU Is Unique In State," September 17, 1961, p. B1).
On a portion of the site that was Francis Hall, now stands Hultz Hall, named after NDAC/SU President Fred S. Hultz (1948-1961), established as the Animal Science and Entomology research building which was dedicated in November of 1978.
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University Archives, 701-231-8914 Published by the University Archives, NDSU Last Updated: 8/27/04 |