While students commonly refer to the names of buildings on campus in their conversations, most are unaware of the history and significance of these names.
Like other universities, many of AU's buildings are named after former chancellors, presidents and trustees.
HURST HALL The first-ever building on campus, the College of History, is called Hurst Hall in memory of Bishop John F. Hurst the founder and first chancellor of AU.
McKINLEY BUILDING The second building constructed on campus was the McKinley Building, named after President William McKinley, a former AU trustee. President McKinley joined the trustees under the condition that the next building built on campus would be representative of his state of Ohio. McKinley was to lay the cornerstone for the building. After McKinley's assassination, President Theodore Roosevelt laid the cornerstone in his place.
MARY GRAYDON CENTER During World War I, the U.S. Army began constructing a chemical laboratory on AU's campus. But with the halt of the war came the halt of construction. AU bought the unfinished building from the Army, completed the construction and converted it into a women's dormitory. The residence hall was named after a wealthy woman named Mary Graydon, who advanced women's education at AU. "Mary Graydon wanted to stay anonymous, but obviously she did not remain anonymous," Assistant AU Archivist Ignacio Moreno said.
McDOWELL HALL Since AU was founded under the auspices of the Methodist Church, some buildings are named after bishops of the Catholic Church. McDowell Hall was named after Bishop William F. McDowell, a leader in the Methodist Church and a partner of AU.
BATTELLE-TOMPKINS MEMORIAL BUILDING Gordon Battelle was a member of the AU Board of Trustees. Since he was an influential member of the Board and he died at a young age, AU decided to dedicate the school's library to him and his family. Battelle Memorial is now home to the College of Arts and Sciences.
WATKINS BUILDING The art gallery on the far southern side of campus was named after C. Law Watkins, a director of art education at the Phillips Memorial Gallery in the 1930s and '40s. He made special connections with AU possible and helped advance AU's art program.
THE KOGOD SCHOOL OF BUSINESS Kogod was named after a very successful AU alumnus, Robert Kogod, who worked in the D.C. area with a development, construction, leasing and management company. He also served as an AU trustee. Before becoming the business school the building was called the John Sherman Meyer Building and was used as a law building.
WARD CIRCLE BUILDING The Ward Circle Building is named in honor of Gen. Artemas Ward, who is also remembered with the statue in the middle of Ward Circle. Ward commanded Continental forces at Bunker Hill but was appointed second-in-command under Gen. George Washington by the Continental Congress.
Other buildings named in honor of former AU chancellors and presidents include Anderson Hall, named for Hurst R. Anderson, Hughes Hall, named for Edwin Holt Hughes and the Hamilton Office Building, named for Franklin Hamilton.
