Sherzer Hall facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
|
|
Sherzer Hall
|
|
|
U.S. Historic district
Contributing property |
|
Sherzer Hall south side
|
|
| Lua error in Module:Location_map at line 420: attempt to index field 'wikibase' (a nil value). | |
| Location | Ypsilanti, Michigan |
|---|---|
| Built | 1903 |
| Architect | E. W. Arnold |
| Architectural style | Romanesque, Georgian |
| Part of | Eastern Michigan University Historic District (ID84000017) |
| Added to NRHP | 1984 |
Sherzer Hall is an important building at Eastern Michigan University (EMU) in Ypsilanti, Michigan. It's one of four buildings that make up the Eastern Michigan University Historic District. This district is special because it's listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
The building was designed by E. W. Arnold from Battle Creek, Michigan. Sherzer Hall has a unique look with its red bricks. It mixes a few styles, like Romanesque and Georgian, which makes it hard to put into just one category.
Sherzer Hall is named after Dr. William H. Sherzer. He was a geology professor and led the Department of Natural Sciences from 1892 to 1932. The building was finished in 1903 when the school was called Michigan Normal College.
A Building That Survived Fires
Sherzer Hall has been through two fires! In 1973, a small fire caused about $10,000 in damage. Luckily, everything was fixed completely.
However, on March 9, 1989, a much bigger fire happened. The building was almost completely destroyed. About half of the outside and 70% of the inside were ruined.
It took 18 months to rebuild the hall completely. The architects, Quinn Evans Architects, and Eastern Michigan University were praised for how well they rebuilt it. They used the same old building methods for the brickwork. This recognition came from the Masonry Institute in 1992.
The original building cost $55,000 to build in 1903. When it was rebuilt 87 years later, it cost much more: $5.5 million!
What's Inside Sherzer Hall Today?
Today, Sherzer Hall is home to the EMU Art Department. Even though it was first built for science classes, it still has ties to its scientific past. This is thanks to the observatory on its roof.
In December 1997, a new radio telescope was put on the roof. This special telescope helps scientists collect radio waves from objects far away in space.
Sherzer Observatory
The Sherzer Observatory started in 1878. Citizens of Ypsilanti gave money to make it happen. The first observatory had a 4-inch telescope that cost $600. It was made by a famous company called Alvan Clark & Sons.
The first observatory was on Pierce Hall. But in 1893, a tornado hit it and destroyed it. So, in 1903, the observatory was moved to the roof of the new Natural Science Building, which is now Sherzer Hall.
The building and observatory were later named after William Sherzer. He was the science professor who came up with the idea for the new building. He got his ideas after seeing similar science buildings during a trip to Germany.
