Most students at ISU know of Turner and Garrison Halls on upper campus close to the Holt Arena. They think of Turner as the social dorms with questionable air conditioning connected to the offices of Garrison by the Commons dining area. Turner is a very social place to live with many freshmen negotiating their first year of college, making friends, and learning how to be away from home. However, many students do not know of the history of these buildings or many of the changes that they have undergone.
Interestingly enough, the Turner hall on campus today is not the first. The original Turner Hall was built in 1903 and was dedicated to Theodore Turner. The building stood where the College of Business Administration building is today and went through many changes before being torn down in 1966. It started out as a women’s dorm and had the capacity for 74 residents.[1] During the Great Depression in 1933, Turner Hall had to be shut down due to financial reasons. During this time, Idaho State was the Southern Branch of the University of Idaho. After the hall was shut down, the residents were moved to Colonial Hall. During this time, the out of state students were required to live on campus and eat at the dining hall, which was part of Turner and could seat 150 students. The costs during this time were very cheap, especially compared to other, larger colleges in the west. Students spent $2.00 a week for rent and $5.50 a week for food. Combined, students spend less than $300 a year, which was a fourth less than the cheapest costs from larger colleges.[2]
Later, during World War II in 1943, the women that had been staying in Graveley Hall were moved back to Turner to make room for the Navy V-12 program. When they moved in, they found that the building was not a good or comfortable as it used to be.[3] Turner Hall also went through many other changes before it was torn down. It went from being a women’s dorm to a building for student activities. It was later used for married couples and men before becoming a “Pan-Hellenic House” for women. The use of the building was also restricted to first two floors because of fire safety concerns.[4]
Both Garrison and Turner halls were built in the 1960’s with Garrison built two years before Turner in 1965 and Turner in 1967. Garrison’s architect was Cedric Allen and the contractor was Mitchell Construction based out of Pocatello. The building cost $1,414,690 and was dedicated to Orval D. Garrison. Garrison was the bursar of Idaho State from 1928 to 1947 when it was still the southern branch of the University of Idaho as well as when it changed names to Idaho State University. Garrison was originally a women’s dorm with 325 beds.[5] However, around 1978 it turned into a men’s dorm.[6] Now the former dorms are used as an office building.
Turner hall is very similar to Garrison. It also was originally a women’s dorm before becoming a co-ed dorm and had 325 beds. Turner also had Cedric Allen as an architect, but the building had a different contractor, Goodwin Construction Company, which was based out of Blackfoot. This building was also dedicated to Theodore F. Turner, who was considered the “Father of Idaho State University.”[7] Turner was an Idaho senator who was also a teacher. During this time there was not a place of higher education in southeast Idaho. Turner decided to make this a priority and he, along with other colleagues, worked to create the Academy of Idaho in 1901.[8] Today, instead of being an all-women’s dorm, it houses both men and women.
On August 10th, 1977 a solar heating project was announced for Turner and Garrison. This project was expected to provide about 50-60% of the heating during the winter for the dorms, and when needed, could be merged with the existing heating system.[9] Originally designed to heat water for the building, they could also be adapted for regular heating purposes. This project began operation in August of the following year. There was a dedication ceremony performed on October 28, 1978, which was open to the public. The solar panels were accepted by Governor Evans on behalf of the state of Idaho, Dr. Seppi on behalf of the State Board, and Dr. Myron L. Coulter, who was ISU’s president at the time, on behalf of ISU.[10] The 128 solar panels were placed on Garrisons roof and cost approximately $100,000. According to a press release in October of 1978, “the system was developed primarily to demonstrate the feasibility of the use of solar energy in the Pocatello area.”[11]
Turner and Garrison may now be seen as the social dorm and the office building, but there is a lot of history behind them and a lot of changes that happened to them. These buildings house students away from home and have seen many people become independent adults within their walls. From the original Turner Hall going through the changes of who lives there, along with the current Turner and Garrison, to the solar panels installed in the 1970s, all of these changes led to the building being what they are today.
-Amanda Lingle
[1] “Turner Hall” ISU Buildings Histories, Special Collections and Archives, Idaho State University, pg. 4.
[2] Merrill D. Beal, History of Idaho State College, 1952. Imprint: (published by the author, 1952), pg. 80.
[3] Merrill D. Beal, History of Idaho State College, 1952. Imprint: (published by the author, 1952), pgs. 125-126.
[4] “Turner Hall” ISU Buildings Histories, Special Collections and Archives, Idaho State University, pg. 4.
[5] “Garrison Hall” ISU Buildings Histories, Special Collections and Archives, Idaho State University, pg. 63.
[6] “1978 Idaho State University Yearbook,” Special Collections and Archives, Idaho State University.
[7] “Turner Hall” ISU Buildings Histories, Special Collections and Archives, Idaho State University, pg. 64.
[8] Merrill D. Beal, History of Idaho State College, 1952. Imprint: (published by the author, 1952), pgs. iii-v.
[9] News, “Solar Heat Project at ISU,” August 10, 1977; Buildings (general) 1977-; Publicity and Publications, News Releases, Art, Alumni, Buildings and Faculty Council; Box 5; Special Collections and Archives, Idaho State University.
[10] News, “Solar Energy System to be Accepted,” October 20, 1978; Buildings (general) 1977-; Publicity and Publications, News Releases, Art, Alumni, Buildings and Faculty Council; Box 5; Special Collections and Archives, Idaho State University.
[11] News, “Dedication Open to the Public,” October 24, 1978; Buildings (general) 1977-; Publicity and Publications, News Releases, Art, Alumni, Buildings and Faculty Council; Box 5; Special Collections and Archives, Idaho State University.
saoirbhreathach dolan: jdstover 