The Council of Independent Colleges: Historic Campus Architecture Project

Jones Hall of Science, Walker Science Center

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Jones Hall of Science, Walker Science Center (front facade, ca. 1950), Morningside College

Jones Hall of Science, Walker Science Center (front facade, ca. 2006), Morningside College

Institution Name: Morningside College
Original/Historic Place Name: Jones Hall of Science
Location on Campus: 1707 Morningside Ave.
Date(s) of Construction and Designer(s):

1946-1948	original construction Beuttler, William
1968-1969	renovation and addition Beuttler, William
2001-2002	interior renovation Unknown

Type of Place: Individual building
Style(s): (Glossary)
Materials:

Foundation: poured concrete

Walls: brick; block

Roof: asphalt (now ballasted rubber)

Function:

1948	academic department building (Physics, Chemistry, Biology)
ca. 2002-present (2007)	administration
ca. 2002-present (2007)	other (greenhouse)
ca. 2002-present (2007)	classrooms (physics, math, psychology, biology, chemistry)

Significance:
Landmark designation:

National Register

Morningside College Historic District (1997)

Narrative: see below
References: see below

Narrative:
When construction began on the Jones Hall of Science it was the first new building on campus in twenty years and the first of four Moderne style buildings that would rise on the campus. This science building was a tangible sign of improved economic conditions for Morningside College, which left a barter economy behind and survived when other Iowa colleges were closing. Completion of the building supported the focus on education in the sciences following World War II.

This building was designed by William Beuttler, and is one of a number he designed for Morningside College. The building is a simple rectangle with a short projecting bay at the southern end of the front façade, tied back to the rest of the façade with a curved quarter-circle main entry portal and curved step. The double entry doors are flanked with ribbon windows. On the full-length curved cement panels above the entry are two horizontal bands of geometric designs, with the building name centered between them. The windows throughout are vertical ribbons of six panels set in metal frames. The parapeted roof is accented with a wide undecorated stone coping.

When first completed the science facilities were state-of-the art. As the building aged the facilities degraded, until a total interior renovation begun in 2001 and completed in 2002 made the building again current with national codes and education standards.

References:

I. Bibliographic sources:

Orwig, Timothy T. Morningside College: A Centennial History. Sioux City, IA: Morningside College Press, 1994.

Orwig, Timothy T. Morningside College Historic District. National Register of Historic Places designation report. Washington, DC: U.S. Department of the Interior/National Park Service, 1997.

II. Location of other data:

University: Special Collections

SHPO

Government Offices

Other: Sioux City Public Museum Archives & Research Center