The Council of Independent Colleges: Historic Campus Architecture Project

Browne Hall

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Browne Hall (three-quarter view), Urbana University

Institution Name: Urbana University
Original/Historic Place Name: Browne Hall
Location on Campus:
Date(s) of Construction and Designer(s):

1880	original construction Unknown

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

Foundation: stone

Walls: brick

Roof: asphalt

Function:

ca. 1880	dining hall
ca. 1880	residence hall (women's)
ca. present (2007)	other (offices)

Significance:
Landmark designation:

none

Narrative: see below
References: see below

Narrative:
Browne Hall was built in 1880 by Thomas Moses, a professor of natural science at Urbana. The building became university property in 1918. The interesting architectural features of this three-story building include dormers, elaborate scrollwork, and brackets. Additionally, burned bricks, discolored from overfiring and known as clinker bricks form a number of belt courses around the house. Two of these belt courses have a row of dogtooth bricks sandwiched between clinker bricks.

Like the other historic buildings on the Urbana campus, Browne Hall is associated with the Swedenborgian Church and Johnny "Appleseed" Chapman, its best known member.

References:

I. Bibliographic sources:

II. Location of other data: