UIHistories Project: A History of the University of Illinois by Kalev Leetaru
        B U I L D I N G S
   

Agriculture Building / Old Agriculture Building / Davenport Hall

The Agriculture Building, later known as Old Agriculture Building, was dedicated May 21, 1901. [1] The morning dedication session was held at 10am in Morrow Hall, while the afternoon session was held at 2PM in the University Chapel. Designed by Joseph C. Llewellyn, a University grad of the class of 1877, [2] the 94,900 square foot [3] building cost $122,972.19 to construct. [4] A 1917 addition designed by James White cost $6,000. [5]

On June 27, 1946 the Board of Trustees approved a resolution from the Executive Committee of the College of Agriculture to rename the building Davenport Hall: [6] as a memorial to the late Eugene Davenport, who was Dean of the College of Agriculture, Director of the Agricultural Experiment Station, and Director of the Extension Service in Agriculture and Home Economics Dean Davenport was a member of the University faculty from 1895 until he retired in 1922 he also served as Vice-President of the University from 1920 to 1922

The building was renamed in honor of Eugene Davenport on Thursday, April 17, 1947 in a ceremony renaming three buildings. The Old Agriculture Building was renamed to Davenport Hall, while the Women's Building became Bevier Hall and the New Agriculture Building was renamed to Mumford Hall. Davenport's lasting impact on education was recounted by his belief that "every properly educated man is trained both vocationally and liberally the chief distinction of the educated man is after all his ability to view the world from a standpoint broader than his own surroundings" [7]

The building features terra cotta adornments surrounding the building and two massive Ionic columns supporting its grand entrance. Two quotes flank the grand entrance, one by proclaiming Industrial education prepares the way for a millennium of labor. - Turner, and the other The wealth of Illinois is in her soil and her strength lies in its intelligent development - Draper.

By 1950, the building housed the Departments of Agronomy, Animal Nutrition, and Dairy Production, as well as the Regional Soybean Laboratory. [8] In the late 1950's, a $305,000 remodeling project was embarked upon for the building. [9]




[1] University of Illinois Archives, Building and Statue Dedication Programs: RS 2/0/808
[2] 100 Years of Campus Architecture at the University of Illinois by Allen S. Weller
[3] Total valuation after 1917 addition - History of the Growth and Development of the Campus of The University of Illinois - Leon Tilon / Thomas O'Donnell - UI Press 1930 - p 179
[4] Sixteen Years at the UI / p81
[5] History of the Growth and Development of the Campus of The University of Illinois - Leon Tilon / Thomas O'Donnell - UI Press 1930 - p 181
[6] Board of Trustees Proceedings, June 27, 1946
[7] Unknown newspaper, Wed, April 16, 1947
[8] Campus Map and Informational Brochure - circa 1950's (lists English Building as Bevier Hall, which places it between 1946 and 1956)
[9] Board of Trustees Proceedings, October 27, 1954
Bookmark and Share

Search Site:

Advanced Search

Site Navigation
   Welcome to the ...
      About The UIHis...
      Collections
      Foreword
      Foundation
      Gifts & Memoria...
      Other UI Histor...
      Postword
      Special Feature...
      Student Life
      University Mile...
      All Buildings
         ACES Library, I...
         Admissions and ...
         Advanced Comput...
         Agricultural En...
         [Agriculture Bui...]
         Agronomy
         Agronomy Barn
         Agronomy Field ...
         Agronomy Greenh...
         Alma Mater
         Alpha House
         Animal Husbandr...
         Animal Patholog...
         Animal Sciences...
         Aquatic Researc...
         Arbor
         Arboretum
         Architecture Li...
         Armory Annex
         Art and Archite...
         Artillery Barns
         Asian American ...
         Assembly Hall
         Astronomy Build...
         Atkins Tennis C...
         Auditorium / Fo...
         Bardeen Quad
         Battery
         Beckman Institu...
         Beef Cattle Bar...
         Betatron / Cycl...
         Bevier Hall
         Botany Annex an...
         Botany Greenhou...
         Bradley Arcade ...
         Brood Mare Barn
         Building for Ar...
         Bureau of Commu...
         Bureau of Educa...
         Burnsides Resea...
         Burrill Avenue
         Burrill Hall
         Busey-Evans Wom...
         Campbell Hall f...
         Cattle Feeding ...
         Center for Adva...
         Central Campus ...
         Central Food St...
         Central Receivi...
         Ceramic
         Ceramic Enginee...
         Champaign and U...
         Chemical and Li...
         Chemical Labora...
         Chemistry
         Child Developme...
         Civitas Univers...
         Clay Tennis Cou...
         Coble Hall
         Colonel
         Commerce
         Commerce
         Commerce West /...
         Complete List o...
         Computer and Sy...
         Coordinated Sci...
         Dairy
         Daniels Hall / ...
         Davenport House
         Delta House
         Digital Compute...
         Doris Kelly Chr...
         East Chemistry ...
         Education
         Education Build...
         Educational Res...
         Eichelberger Fi...
         Electrical Engi...
         Electrical Engi...
         Engineering Hal...
         Entomology Buil...
         Environmental a...
         Faculty Staff H...
         Faculty Tennis ...
         Farm
         Farm House / Mu...
         Feed Barn
         Filtration Plan...
         Fine Arts-Comme...
         Fire Station
         Fireman's Train...
         Floriculture
         Floriculture, P...
         Florida Avenue ...
         Foreign Languag...
         Forest
         Forestry / Illi...
         Fourth Street R...
         French House
         Gamma House
         General Horse B...
         Genetics
         Geological Surv...
         Goodwin Green M...
         Graduate Studio...
         Grainger
         
Green Street
         Gregory
         Gregory Drive R...
         Grounds Departm...
         Guy M.
         Halfway House /...
         Hallene Gateway...
         Hendrick House
         Highway Materia...
         Highway Materia...
         Hill Annex
         Honors Programs
         Horticultural G...
         Horticulture
         Horticulture Fi...
         Horticulture Gr...
         Horticulture Se...
         Ice Skating Rin...
         Illini Forest P...
         Illini Hall
         Illini Union
         Illini Union Bo...
         Illini Village
         Illinois Field ...
         Illinois Radio ...
         Illinois Street...
         Institute of Ge...
         Institute of Go...
         International S...
         Intramural Phys...
         J. Gerald Demir...
         Jane
         Japan House
         John Milton Gre...
         Kenny Gym and K...
         Krannert Art Mu...
         Krannert Center...
         Labor and Indus...
         Laboratory of P...
         Law Building
         Lester H.
         Libraries
         Library Buildin...
         Lincoln Avenue<...
         Lincoln Hall
         Locomotive Test...
         Locomotive Test...
         Lorado Taft Hou...
         Main Library
         Main Quadrangle...
         Margaret H. and...
         Materials Resea...
         Materials Testi...
         McKinley Memori...
         Meat Science La...
         Mechanical Engi...
         Mechanical Engi...
         Medical Science...
         Memorial Stadiu...
         Men's New Gymna...
         Men's Universit...
         Mental Health C...
         Metal Shop / Ae...
         Moorman Swine R...
         Morrow Plots
         Music Building
         Nathan Clifford...
         Nathan Newmark ...
         National Center...
         Natural Resourc...
         Natural
         
New
         New Agriculture...
         New Armory
         New College of ...
         New Illini Medi...
         New Power Plant...
         New South Farms...
         New University ...
         Nonacademic Per...
         North Garage an...
         North Parking G...
         Nuclear Enginee...
         Nuclear Reactor...
         Observatory
         Old
         Old Agronomy Se...
         Old Entomology ...
         Old Mechanical ...
         Old Power Plant
         Old Power Plant...
         Orchard Downs
         Oregon Street C...
         Osborne Hall / ...
         Parade Ground H...
         Parking Lot at ...
         Peabody Drive R...
         Personality Ass...
         Physical Plant ...
         Physics Buildin...
         Physics Researc...
         Physics Researc...
         Physiological P...
         Plant and Anima...
         Police Training...
         Poultry Plant
         President's Hou...
         Proano Stadium
         Psychology Buil...
         Pumping Station
         Rehabilitation ...
         Residence Hall ...
         Richard T. Ubbe...
         Rock Garden, Fl...
         Round Barns / D...
         Sarah McFarland...
         Satellite Recre...
         School
         Sheep Barn and ...
         Sixth Street Ca...
         Small Homes Cou...
         Snack Bar / Ill...
         Soil Bins
         South Farms Ani...
         South Farms Imp...
         South Research ...
         South Tennis Co...
         Speech and Hear...
         Stallion Barn
         State
         Stenographic Bu...
         Stiven House
         Stock Judging P...
         Storage
         Storehouse
         String Annex / ...
         Student Service...
         Swine Sheds
         Television
         Temple Hoyne Bu...
         The Farms / Rob...
         Theoretical and...
         Thomas M. Siebe...
         Tina Weedon Smi...
         Tool Shed
         Track and Socce...
         Transportation
         Turner Hall / C...
         Undergraduate L...
         University
         University
         University Civi...
         University Pres...
         University Tena...
         Untitled
         Ven Te Chow Hyd...
         Veterinary Medi...
         Veterinary Medi...
         Veterinary Medi...
         Veterinary Path...
         Veterinary Rese...
         Vivarium / Expe...
         Volatile
         Warehouse
         Warm Air Resear...
         Water Resources...
         Willard Airport
         William Lamont ...
         William R. and ...
         Woman's Buildin...
         Women's Gymnasi...
         Women's Residen...
         Work Horse Barn
         Worthy Grove
         Zoonoses