Ustler Hall facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Women's Gymnasium
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Ustler Hall
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 Location in Florida
Location in the United States
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| Location | Gainesville, Florida |
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| Built | 1919 |
| Architect | William Augustus Edwards |
| NRHP reference No. | 79000660 |
| Added to NRHP | June 27, 1979 |
Kathryn Chicone Ustler Hall is a historic building at the University of Florida (UF) in Gainesville, Florida. It was once known as the Women's Gymnasium and the University Gymnasium. The building was designed by William Augustus Edwards in a style called Collegiate Gothic. It first opened in 1919.
This building was the first home for the Florida Gators men's basketball team. It also hosted most of the university's indoor sports until the Florida Gymnasium opened in the late 1940s. Around the same time, the university started accepting both male and female students. The building was then renamed the Women's Gymnasium. It became a recreation center for the many new female students. On June 27, 1979, it was added to the U.S. National Register of Historic Places.
After the O'Connell Center opened in 1980, and new student recreation centers were built, the old gym was not used much. It was almost torn down in the 1980s but was saved because of its history. For several years, it was mainly used for storage. A generous gift from UF graduate Kathryn Ustler helped change the inside of the building. It was turned into modern classrooms, offices, and learning spaces. The university's Women's Studies Department moved into the newly named Ustler Hall in 2006. It was the first academic building on the UF campus named to honor a woman. When it was rededicated, it was the only building in the United States used only for Women's Studies.
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History of Ustler Hall
Building the First Gym
The University of Florida (UF) started in Gainesville in 1906. At first, only about 100 students attended. So, just two buildings, Buckman Hall and Thomas Hall, were enough for everything. More students joined over the years. This growth sped up under President Albert A. Murphree. He oversaw a plan to add more colleges and buildings. By the end of World War I, about 1000 students were enrolled.
Buckman Hall had some indoor sports space. But with more students, bigger recreation areas were needed. The university planned to build its first dedicated gym on the west side of campus. William Augustus Edwards, the architect for the Florida Board of Control, designed the building. He designed most of UF's early buildings in the Collegiate Gothic style. Construction began in the summer of 1918. However, the project cost more than expected. President Murphree asked the local community for donations to finish the inside. The fundraising was successful when the Major League Baseball team, the New York Giants, agreed to hold their spring training in Gainesville in 1919. They rented the newly opened University Gymnasium as their training headquarters.
The University Gymnasium Years
The University Gym was made to be many things. It was a student recreation center, a place for physical education, an assembly hall, and a sports venue. For about ten years, it was the home court for the Florida Gators men's basketball team. It also hosted all other indoor sports programs at the university.
However, the building was narrow, so there wasn't much space for people to watch games. As more students came to UF, a larger wooden "New Gym" was built next to the University Gym in 1929. This new gym became the temporary home for the basketball team. The University Gym continued to host physical education classes, intramural sports (sports played among students), and smaller gatherings.
Becoming the Women's Gymnasium
The large brick Florida Gymnasium was finished in 1948. In the same year, the university started accepting both male and female students, becoming fully co-educational. The University Gym was then renamed the Women's Gymnasium. It was used as a recreation center and physical education space for the many new female students. The wooden "New Gym" next door was changed into a practice space for the university's marching band.
In 1980, the modern O'Connell Center opened. It became the new home for all of the university's indoor sports teams. The inside of the Florida Gym was updated to house the physical education department. But the Women's Gym needed too many repairs to be worth renovating. It was planned for demolition. However, people in the community wanted to save the historic building. This delayed its destruction. In 1988, it was listed on the National Register of Historic Places, which helped protect it. Still, it was not used much and served mainly as a storage building for over ten years.
Ustler Hall Today
In 2000, a donation from UF graduate Kathryn Chicone Ustler helped transform the empty gym. It became a modern academic building with classrooms, faculty offices, and administrative spaces. The building is about 14,700 square feet (1,366 square meters) and has three stories. A circular courtyard was also added in front, replacing a small parking area. The renovation started in 2004 and was finished in July 2006. In 2008, the Florida Heritage Foundation called the restoration a "Project of Regional Impact."
Now known as Ustler Hall, the building is home to the university's Department of Gender, ..., and Women's Studies. It also houses the Center for Women's and Gender Studies Research. It was the first academic building on the UF campus named to honor a woman. When it was dedicated, it was the only standalone campus building in the United States used only for Women's Studies.
See also
- University of Florida
- Buildings at the University of Florida
- Campus Historic District
