The Council of Independent Colleges: Historic Campus Architecture Project

Bone Hall

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Institution Name: Cumberland University
Original/Historic Place Name: Women's Residence Hall; Tennessee College Hall
Location on Campus: One Cumberland Sq.
Date(s) of Construction and Designer(s):

1938	original construction Unknown

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

Foundation: stone

Walls: brick

Roof: shingle

Function:

1938-1942	residence hall (women)
1942-1944	other (message center for the U.S. Army's Maneuver Director Headquarters)
ca. 2004-present (2007)	classrooms
ca. 2004-present (2007)	faculty offices
ca. 2004-present (2007)	administration

Significance: education
Landmark designation:

none

Narrative: see below
References: see below

Narrative:
During World War II, the Second Army chose Cumberland University for its Maneuver Director Headquarters, and the Women's residence hall (now Bone Hall) was chosen as the message center. The Second Army arrived in September 1942 and continued in residence in March 1944. During this time, General George Patton was on campus and lived in Bone Hall.

Some notable entertainment and film industry personalities who were on the switchboard during the maneuvers included Buddy Hackett, Norman Tocar, and Stanley Kramer. (This information came from Dr. G. Frank Burns.) Bone Hall also housed faculty members who lived in small apartments there.

References:

I. Bibliographic sources:

Bone, Winstead Paine. A History of Cumberland University 1842-1935. Lebanon, TN: published by the author, 1935.

Burns, G. Frank. Phoenix Rising: The Sesquicentennial History of Cumberland University. Lebanon, TN: Cumberland University Board of Trustees, 1992

Dalton, Robert E. Memorial Hall, Cumberland University. National Register of Historic Places designation report. Washington, DC: U.S. Department of the Interior/National Park Service, 1977.

Master Plan. University archives, Doris and Harry Vise Library, Cumberland University, Lebanon, TN.

II. Location of other data:

University: Special Collections