Henderson Hall (Canton, Missouri) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Henderson Hall
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 Location in Missouri
Location in the United States
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| Location | MO B, Canton, Missouri |
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| Built | 1853 |
| Architect | Legg & Holloway |
| NRHP reference No. | 78001666 |
| Added to NRHP | October 2, 1978 |
Henderson Hall is a very old and important building. It stands on the campus of Culver–Stockton College in Canton, Missouri. This building is the oldest one at the college. Parts of it date all the way back to 1853! Back then, the college was called Christian University. It was the first college west of the Mississippi River where both boys and girls could study together.
Henderson Hall got its name from D. Pat Henderson. He was one of the people who helped start the college. In 1978, Henderson Hall was added to the National Register of Historic Places. This means it's a special building recognized for its history.
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What Does Henderson Hall Look Like?
Henderson Hall is built on top of a hill. This hill is about one mile away from the Mississippi River. The building has a unique "T" shape. It measures 123 feet by 117 feet at its widest points. There is also a full basement underneath.
The building has three stories and is made of red brick. It has a grand, classical style. A large front porch with tall columns stands at the front. On top, there is a big, special dome. You can see this dome from far away! The original dome was replaced in 1960. Then, in 2003, a tornado hit the college. It damaged Henderson Hall and other buildings. The dome had to be replaced again after the storm.
Inside, Henderson Hall looks very different today. It was changed a lot during a big renovation. This happened in 1967 and 1968. So, the inside doesn't look much like it did when it was first built.
The Story of Henderson Hall
The first main building on the Christian University campus was called "Old Main." It was built before the American Civil War. Sadly, on March 23, 1903, "Old Main" was destroyed by a fire. The people of Canton knew how important the college was. They quickly came together to help.
They opened up local churches and other buildings. These were used as temporary classrooms. Canton residents also raised $15,000 in just ten days! This money helped the college rebuild. The college was able to save some stone and brick from the "Old Main" ruins. They used these materials, plus the community's donation. They also had an $8,000 insurance payment. A $15,000 loan helped too. All this money was used to build the new Henderson Hall.
Building the New Hall
Workers cleared away the rubble very quickly. Construction on the new Henderson Hall began on August 10, 1903. Everyone knew time was important for the college and the town. So, construction workers kept building even through the cold Missouri winter. They wanted to finish the main part of the building by the next spring.
Henderson Hall was officially ready on May 15, 1904. Even with using salvaged materials, the college still needed more money. They couldn't afford all the extra features for the building. Also, the construction loan needed to be paid back. So, in August 1904, a famous speaker named William Jennings Bryan came to Canton. He gave a speech to help raise more money for the college.
Changes Over the Years
When it first opened, Henderson Hall had many different spaces. It had gymnasiums for both men and women. There was a large assembly hall and a dining room. Various administrative offices were also located there.
In 1915, the first of many remodeling projects began. Science labs and a library were added. More repairs and renovations happened in 1937, 1948, 1960, and 1968. These changes altered both what the building was used for and how its inside looked.
As mentioned earlier, a tornado hit the Culver-Stockton campus in 2003. It destroyed the dome on Henderson Hall. This dome was itself a replacement from 1960. The original dome was from 1903-1904. The dome was replaced once again after the tornado. Today, Henderson Hall is still a central building on campus. It mainly holds administrative offices, but also has some classrooms.
