NATIONAL REGISTER. NPS Form (Rev. 8-86) OMB No

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1 NPS Form (Rev. 8-86) United States Department of the Interior National Park Service NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES REGISTRATION FORM OMB No ^-^ ^ ' NATIONAL REGISTER I 1. Name of Property historic name Baylor Female ColleQe Historic District other names/site number University of Marv Hardin-Baylor 2. Location street & number Campus bounded by King Street, College Street and West Ninth Street [NA] not for publication city/town Belton [NA] vicinity state Texas code TX County Bell code 027 zip code Classification Ownership of Property [XX] private [ ] public-local [ ] public-state ( j public-federal Category of Property [XX] building(b) ] district ] site ] structure ] object Name of related multiple property listing: Community Development in Belton, Texas Number of Resources within Property Contributing Noncontributing 6 6 buildings sites structures objects 8 6 Total Number of contributing resources previously listed in NR 0

2 USDI/NPS NRHP Registration Form Baylor Female College Hist. Dist. Page 2 4. State/Federal Agency Certification As the designated authority under the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966, as amended, I hereby certify that this [XX] nomination ( ] reguest for determination of eligibility meets the documentation standards for registering properties in the National Register of Historic Places and meets the procedural and professional reguirements set forth in 36 CFR Part 60. In my opinion, the property [XX] meets [ ] does not meet the National Register Criteria. [ ] See continuation sheet. A..(^y^iPp Signature of je^ertifying official Texas Historical Commission State or Federal agency and bureau Aijodjm. In my opinion, the property [ ] meets [ ] does not meet the National Register criteria. Date Signature of commenting or other official Date State or Federal agency and bureau 5. National Park Service Certification I, hereby certify that this property is: V ] entered in the National Register h n flfi i [ ] See continuation sheet. mlmii^mz i^uls- l^ls^l^^ ^ ] determined eligible for the National Register ( ] See continuation sheet. ) determined not eligible for the National Register ] removed from the National Register ] other (explain) tn^ Signature of Keeper Date of Action

3 USDI/NPS NRHP R e g i s t r a t i o n Form Baylor Female College H i s t. D i s t. Page 3 6. Function or Use H i s t o r i c Functions EDUCATION; college education-related Current Functions EDUCATION; c o l l e g e education-related Description Architectural Classification Georgian Revival Materials foundation walls BRICK roof other Describe present and h i s t o r i c p h y s i c a l appearance. ASPHALT [XX] See c o n t i n u a t i o n sheet. The Baylor Female College H i s t o r i c D i s t r i c t comprises roughly s i x c i t y blocks at the heart of the U n i v e r s i t y of Mary Hardin-Baylor campus. The d i s t r i c t consists p r i m a r i l y of 2- and 3-Btory b r i c k s t r u c t u r e s b u i l t since 1920 and used as classrooms, o f f i c e s and dormitories. The d i s t r i c t includes 14 resources, e i g h t C o n t r i b u t i n g and f i v e Noncontributing. A l l of the b u i l d i n g s are v a r i a t i o n s on the Georgian Revival s t y l e, faced with red b r i c k and trimmed i n white. C o n t r i b u t i n g resources also include a gazebo and the p a r t i a l remains of Luther H a l l, the college's f i r s t b u i l d i n g. The Ceunpus i s s i t u a t e d i n f l a t t o gently r o l l i n g t e r r a i n on the northwestern edge of the c i t y, approximately one mile from downtown Belton. The b u i l d i n g s are arranged on a symmetrical Beaux-Artsinfluenced plan around two large commons. The campus i s landscaped w i t h numerous large deciduous trees and shrubs. The Baylor Female College H i s t o r i c D i s t r i c t i s bounded by W. 9th Street on the south. College Street on the east, and King Street on the west and n o r t h. The campus i s generally f l a t t o r o l l i n g w i t h a gentle slope toward College Street on the eastern edge of the campus. Live oaks, cedars and other n a t i v e t r e e s dot the landscape and n a t i v e and imported shrubs are planted around many of the b u i l d i n g s. To the east and south of the d i s t r i c t i s an older r e s i d e n t i a l neighborhood developed around the t u r n of the century. On the campus but outside of the d i s t r i c t t o the west are several more recent college buildings. The main entrance t o the college i s from the east on W. 10th Street which leads i n t o Vann C i r c l e at the heart of the campus. The h i s t o r i c campus i s d i v i d e d roughly i n t o two large commons. One common r a d i a t e s from Vann C i r c l e on the east and i s surrounded on four sides by Townsend Memorial L i b r a r y, Wells Science H a l l, W. W. Walton Chapel and Sanderford Administration B u i l d i n g. At the center of the common on axis w i t h W. 10th Street are the s t a b i l i z e d r u i n s of Luther H a l l, the college's f i r s t b u i l d i n g which i s preserved as a memorial. The second common, on the west side of the campus, i s a guadrangle w i t h a north-south axis bounded on the east by Moore Avenue and on the west by King Street. I t i s framed by 10 b u i l d i n g s, i n c l u d i n g the student center, several d o r m i t o r i e s and classroom b u i l d i n g s. At the center of t h i s large area i s the campus gazebo. V i r t u a l l y a l l of the b u i l d i n g s are 2- t o 3 - s t o r i e s and are constructed i n v a r i a t i o n s of the C l a s s i c a l or Georgian Revival s t y l e, faced i n reddish brown b r i c k and trimmed i n white. The older b u i l d i n g s, which date from the 1920s and 30s, and are generally symmetrical i n plan and e l e v a t i o n, while the newer b u i l d i n g s, e s p e c i a l l y those b u i l t w i t h i n the past two decades, t y p i c a l l y have more complex facades and layouts. The early b u i l d i n g s, d a t i n g from 1920, f o l l o w a basic form of symmetrical massing w i t h shallow hipped roofs, f l a t - h e a d windows and simple c l a s s i c a l porches, reminiscent of public school designs of the same period. Burt H a l l and Ruth S t r i b l i n g Dormitory both r e f l e c t t h i s simple but handsome design. By about 1930 the college b u i l d i n g s were f o l l o w i n g a more ornate Georgian Revival s t y l e, u t i l i z i n g round-head windows and pedimented e n t r i e s. C h a r a c t e r i s t i c of t h i s period of construction are Pressler H a l l ( S i t e No. 542) and Hughes R e c i t a l H a l l ( S i t e No. 552) which form a U-shaped complex at the southwestern edge of the west common area. The two buildings m i r r o r one another i n plan w i t h small v a r i a t i o n s i n the placement of windows and ornamentation. They are connected by a narrow wing at the rear and an arcaded covered

4 NPS Form a (8-86) OMB Approval No United States Department of the Interior National Park Service NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES REGISTRATION FORM Section number 7 Baylor Female College Hist. Dist. Page #2 Name Location Site t Status Date Wells Science Hall Capt Drive 541 Contributing 1920 Pressler Hall King Street 542 Contributing 1930 Luther Hall Ruins Vann Circle 543 Contributing 1889 Burt Hall James Lane 544 Contributing 1920 Ruth Stribling Dorm King Street 546 Contributing 1920 Hardy Hall King Street 547 Contributing 1929 Hughes Recital Hall King Street 552 Contributing 1930s Campus Gazebo Moore Avenue 595 Contributing 1921 Sanderford Admin Bldg Renter Drive 597 Noncontributing 1980B W. W. Walton Chapel Renter Drive 598 Noncontributing 1967 Townsend Library West 9th St. 599 Noncontributing 1960s Mabee Student Center West 9th St. 600 Noncontributing 1970s Gettys Dormitory King Street 601 Noncontributing 1965 Frazier Health Center King Street 602 Noncontributing 1960s Registration Reguirements Properties were defined as Contributing i f they were at least 50 years old and retained integrity of location, design, materials and feeling, reflecting the campus plan and architectural character from the 1920s and 1930s. The contributing buildings retain their principal exterior architectural elements, including basic form, doors, windows and applied ornament. Many of the interiors have been subject to alteration and were not considered in the classification of properties. Additions or alterations were evaluated on an case by case basis in relation to the overall effect on the building's appearance from its period of significance.

5 NPS Form a OMB Approval No (8-86) United States Department of the National Park Service NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES REGISTRATION FORM Interior Section number 7 Baylor Female College Hist. Dist. Page #1 walkway on the front. Each has a symmetrical front with a triangular pedimented front gable. In the center of the pediment is a semi-circular fanlight window. Four evenly spaced pilasters break up the front facade into three bays. The main entrance at the center and is topped by a semi-circular fanlight. Many of the windows have round or segmental arches with limestone keystones. Other typical Georgian Revival details include cornices with decorative moldings, double-hung sash windows, and ornamental window and door surrounds.

6 NPS Fom cue Afitml No. >OJ*O0I«United States Department of the interior National Park Service National Register of Historic Places Continuation Sheet Section number Page Baylor Female College District Contributing Non-Contributing

7 USDI/NPS NRHP Registration Form Baylor Female College Hist. Dist. Page 4 8. Statement of Significance Certifying official has considered the significance of this property in relation to other properties: [ ] nationally [ ] statewide [XX] locally Applicable National Register Criteria [XX]A [ ]B [XX]C [ ]D Criteria Considerations (Exceptions) [ ]A [ ]B [ ]C [ ]D [ ]E [ ]F [ ]G NA Areas of Significance Education Period of Significance Significant Dates NA Architecture Cultural NA Affiliation Significant Person(s) NA Architect/Builder Rubin M. Hunt State significance of property, and justify criteria, criteria considerations, and areas and periods of significance noted above. [ ] See continuation sheet. The Baylor Female College District is a good example of the architecture and campus design of a small college from the first half of the 20th century. The nomination relates to the statewide context of Education, particularly in the development of university-level education for women. It is being submitted in conjunction with the Historic Context "Community Development in Belton, Texas, " The district is eligible for listing in the National Register under Criterion A, for its historical association with the development of women's colleges in Texas and for its cultural and educational significance within the history of Belton. It also meets Criterion C, significant in the area of Architecture as an example of Georgian Revival style in early 20th century educational buildings, and in landscape architecture as an example of the Beaux-Arts-influenced college plan. Baylor Female College (coeducational since 1968 and renamed the University of Mary Hardin- Baylor in 1978) was the earliest women's college west of the Mississippi. The college was originally chartered in 1845 as the Female Department of Baylor College founded in Independence, Texas, the same year. Baylor College remained coeducational until 1851, when a separate women's college was created. In 1866, the women's college was chartered as a separate school and given the neune Baylor Female College. The two Baylor colleges prospered until the early 1880s when the railroads bypassed Independence and the town began to decline. The college's Board of Directors decided to permanently split the men's and women's branches and move them to locations nearer to rapidly growing urban areas in central Texas. The men's college (now Baylor University) was relocated to Waco. Officials of the women's college considered various locations, but finally settled on Belton after local citizens offered a incentive package consisting of $31,000 and a large parcel of land for the campus. In 1886 the college was established at a wooded site roughly a mile northwest of the courthouse sguare at what was a rapidly developing area at the edge of the city. In the early 1880s, the Gulf, Colorado & Santa Fe Railway built its depot just to the north of the campus. The construction of the new college and the railroad depot prompted a flurry of new residential construction in the area and by the 1890s the neighborhood around the campus had become the city's most fashionable neighborhood. Many of the finest Belton homes built between 1885 and 1920, are in the area. (See the context statement for additional information). The first building of Baylor Female College was Luther Hall (Site No. 543). Completed in 1886, the large Renaissance Revival structure was designed by Matthew Dow and housed all of the school's administrative offices and classrooms. The campus grew rapidly, and before the turn of the century a number of additional buildings were constructed including an electric power house, a steam laundry, a business manager's cottage, a dining hall, and a number of small houses for boarders.

8 NPS Form a OMB Approval No (8-86) United States Department of the National Park Service NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES REGISTRATION FORM Interior Section number 8 Baylor Female College Hist. Dist. Page #1 In 1912, with the appointment of John Crumpton Hardy as President, the college entered a second period of expansion which lasted until the mid 1920s. In the early teens Hardy launched a campaign to increase both the size of the college and its physical plant. Under Hardy's leadership, the enrollment at the college increased from 411 in 1912 to more than 1,000 by Hardy was able to raise a large sum of money to finance a new building campaign. Up to this time the arrangement of the campus buildings had remained largely haphazard. However, in the late teens college administrators hired Chattanooga architect Rubin M. Hunt to prepare a master plan for the campus. Hunt's design called for a large rectangular green surrounded by 2- and 3-8tory Georgian Revival buildings. The plan was similar to that adopted by many other colleges in Texas and throughout the nation at the time, most notably Southern Methodist University in Dallas which also built its structures in the Georgian Revival style. The buildings at Baylor Female College were to be connected by a series of straight walkways which crisscrossed to create star patterns on the main green. Hunt's plan also called for a series of symmetrical plantings around the buildings and in the common areas. School officials adopted the plan the same year and immediately embarked on a ambitious building program. Over the course of the next decade and a half, most of the earlier turn of the century structures were razed and replaced by symmetrical Georgian Revival buildings. The first three buildings. Wells Science Hall (Site No. 541), Burt Dormitory (Site No. 544), Ruth Stribling Dormitory (Site No. 546) were constructed in They were followed by Hardy Hall (Site No. 547) built in 1929, Pressler Hall (Site No. 542) completed in 1930, and Hughes Recital Hall (Site No. 552) constructed in the Luther Hall, which occupied a prominent position at the center of the campus, was destroyed by fire in Rather than rebuild i t, administrators decided to preserve a section of the structure's stone arches as a memorial. The stabilized ruins (Site No. 543) now form a focal point of the campus near the eastern entrance and are all that remains of the campus' earliest architecture. In 1923 the name of the school was changed to Baylor College for Women, and in 1934 to Mary Hardin-Baylor College. The growth of the college, which had been phenomenal during the first fifteen years of Hardy's administration, began to decline sharply during the late 1920s. In 1926 the combined enrollment of the college and the day school i t operated reached 2,372. But over the course of the next 20 years the enrollment dropped by an average of 150 students per year. Among the principal reasons for this decline were the economic hardships of the 1930s and the growing competition from the large statesupported institutions. The decline continued until the early 1950s when school administrators began efforts to put the college on a firmer financial basis and attract new students. The college applied for and received two Ford Foundation grants in 1955 and A new athletic gymnasium was built in 1957 and a new library was constructed in These gains, however, were partially offset by a fire in 1964 which destroyed the Wilson Administration Building and Alma Reeves Chapel. In the late 60B, the enrollment began to grow more rapidly and the campus experienced a third building boom. A number of large classroom and dormitory buildings were constructed on sites adjacent to the main campus or interspersed with the older buildings. Although most of the new buildings are somewhat larger than those built in the 1920s and 30s, they were constructed in the same reddish brown brick and in a modified Georgian Revival style in keeping with the older structures. In most cases, the later architects followed Hunt's original plan with the result that the symmetrical Beaux-Artsinspired arrangement has largely been preserved.

9 USDI/NPS NRHP Registration Form Baylor Female College Hist. Dist. Page 5 9. Major Bibliographical References [ ] See continuation sheet. Please see bibliography accompanying context statement "Community Development in Belton, Texas, " Previous documentation on file (NPS): NA [ ] preliminary determination of individual listing (36 CFR 67) has been reguested [ ] previously listed in National Register [ ] previously deteirmined eligible by the National Register [ ] designated a National Historic Landmark [ ] recorded by Historic American Buildings Survey # [ ] recorded by Historic American Engineering Record # Primary location of additional data: XX] State historic preservation office ] Other State agency ] Federal agency ] Local government ] University ] Other Specify repository: Texas Historical Commission 10. Geographical Data Acreage of Property 30 acres UTM References A [14] [646460] [ ] Zone Easting Northing C [14] [646320] [ ] B [14] [646780] [ ] Zone Easting Northing D [14] [646640] [ ] Verbal Boundary Description [ ] See continuation sheet Beginning at the intersection of 9th and King streets; thence north along King Street as i t curves to the east near Frazier Health and Hardy Hall to the intersection of King and College streets; thence following College to its intersection with 9th Street; thence west to the beginning point. Boundary Justification ( ] See continuation sheet The district boundaries include the most intact and concentrated area of campus buildings dating from the early 20th century. Most of the campus buildings immediately outside the district date from after The few historic structures outside the boundary were either poorly preserved or have had considerable recent alterations. 11. Form Prepared By (based on research by Sally Victor, Victor & Victor Consultants) Name/Title _ Chris Long. Historian (with Tory Laughlin Taylor. Architectural Historian) Organization Texas Historical Commission. NR Programs Street & Number P.O. Box Capitol Station date August 1990 telephone

10 OMa H^aml No. 102M1I United States Department of the Interior National Pari< Service National Register of Historic Places Continuation Sheet Section number Belton MPS Page Bell County, TEXAS DATE LISTED COVER 1. Austin, F. K. and Mary, House 2. Baggett, Ele, House JJu^atantlvG Sevl r - /r^fe / 9 O 3. Baggett, Silas and Ellen, House 4. Baylor Female College Historic District ^ Subatantivfl Saviat 5. Beamer, William, House /djale>a90 y^a^6/ Belton Academy 7. Belton Commercial Historic District 8. Belton Farmers' Gin Coop 9. Belton Standpipe 10. Belton Yarn Mill 11. Birdwell, T. Hamp and Beulah, House 12. Burford, R. F. and Lena, House 13. Cornelison House j,jl/sle/9 2-. d 14. Elliott, Joel, House 16. Ferguson, James A., House.Ji ^<^^A^^/?o 17. Ferguson, James E. and Mirian, House 18. First Christian Church Parsonage 19. Frazier, Dr. Jacob Moore, House } ^A;ieA9 ^ 20. Gray Rental Houses.fe^dtto i,i.vii Suvift«21. Hammersmith, John P., House

11 UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR NATIONAL PARK SERVICE NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES EVALUATION/RETURN SHEET REQUESTED ACTION NOMINATION PROPERTY NAME: MULTIPLE NAME: Baylor Female College Historic District Belton MPS STATE & COUNTY: TEXAS, Bell DATE RECEIVED: 11/14/90 DATE OF 16TH DAY: 12/16/90 DATE OF WEEKLY LIST: DATE OF PENDING LIST: 11/30/90 DATE OF 45TH DAY: 12/29/90 REFERENCE NUMBER: NOMINATOR: STATE REASONS FOR REVIEW: APPEAL: N DATA PROBLEM: N LANDSCAPE: N LESS THAN 5 0 YEARS: N OTHER: N PDIL: N PERIOD: N PROGRAM UNAPPROVED: N REQUEST: N SAMPLE: Y SLR DRAFT: N NATIONAL: N COMMENT WAIVER: N Z ACCEPT RETURN REJECT DATE ABSTRACT/SUMMARY COMMENTS: :$euj^ accu^ac-- M h x ^ i^'s^b^ ^sha'ai- euu^^jlu^ ^ jth- JuuulJUa^' AACJL- XW. ^CC»- «ie^iauyuaui-6^ iukja /4*<^ Auiu ie^:^^*^ iiui ^jjwuiwsj RECOM. /CRIJERIA_i ITERIA^&et^. REVIEWER. ilhm:ojlk-i(u. DISCIPLINE tw&i^»>t>i' DATE laljfeko * DOCUMENTATION see attached comments Y/N see attached ^ Y/^

12 CLASSIFICATION count _resource type STATE/FEDERAL AGENCY CERTIFICATION FUNCTION historic current DESCRIPTION _architectural classification materials.descriptive text SIGNIFICANCE Period Areas of Significance--Check and justify below Specific dates Builder/Architect Statement of Significance (in one paragraph) summary paragraph completeness clari ty applicable criteria justification of areas checked relating significance to the resource context relationship of integrity to significance justification of exception other BIBLIOGRAPHY GEOGRAPHICAL DATA acreage verbal boundary description UTMs boundary justification ACCOMPANYING DOCUMENTATION/PRESENTATION sketch maps USGS maps photographs presentation OTHER COMMENTS Questions concerning this nomination may be directed to Phone Signed Date

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33 Please refer to the map in the Multiple Property Cover Sheet for this property IVlultiple Property Cover Sheet Reference Number: