Classroom

Towers Hall is one of Boise State University’s oldest dormitories, after Morrison Hall, Driscol Hall and Chafee Hall. Towers started Boise State’s transition from college to university, which happened in 1974.Towers Hall officially opened in 1970, where was originally an all girls dormitory, the first on Boise State’s campus. It is located on far west side of campus and it’s the only hall located on that area of campus. In 1989 Towers Hall became John B. Barners Towers hall, honoring Boise State College’s former president and was designed by Harold Thompson of Thompson &amp; Kolbo Architects in Boise in the postmodern style. The Barnes Towers Hall has not had significant changes since its construction in 1969, other than upgrading technical features. It’s made almost entirely out of brick and concrete, has two circular towers joined by a rectangular area. Other than the circular towers themselves, the building does not have any irregular lines or features. The windows on each tower are in vertical lines, separated by flat red brick structures. The base of The Towers look smaller, which gives a feeling that they are growing up, along with the vertical windows gives a sense of height. In general, Towers Hall is very simple and is designed in a modern architectural style. It’s circular forms create an unique look on campus and it’s &nbsp;very functional. On the first floor there’s a classroom located on side B (right side), on side A (left side) a common area with ping pong tables, pool tables and sofas, along with a computer room where students can do and print homework. From the second floor up to seventh there’s 6 rooms on each side, each room hold 4 students and each room has their own bathroom. In the middle part of Towers Hall there’s two rooms, designated for Resident Assistants, along with a laundry room.It attracts first year students every year for being closer to classes than other dorms located on the other side of campus, it located right next to the Green Belt and a 15 minutes walk to downtown Boise.

More Info

The John B. Barnes Towers Hall on the campus of Boise State University holds 300 student and  one of Boise State's oldest dormitory. It’s located near Capitol Blvd, and along the Boise Green Belt. Towers Hall holds freshmen students, it a coed dormitory and it has 7 floors, holding 50 students on each. Boise State University has a total of 9 dormitories for Freshmen in college and 5 upperclassmen housing buildings.



John B. Barners Towers Hall

Instructor

Historic walking tour of BSU campus architecture created as a final project by the Department of Art's History of Modern Architecture course in the Spring of 2017 with adjunct faculty member Amy Pence-Brown. Come explore the unique history of our campus from Boise's beginnings in the 1860s to some of the newest construction. Cool historic photos, maps, video tours and more included!

OverviewThis building, known as the Micron Business and Economics
Building (MBEB), The College of Business and Economics Building (COBE
Building), or even simply The Micron building, sits along Capitol Boulevard and
is frequently referred to as being the new “Face of Campus” since it will often
be the first building people see when arriving on campus.&nbsp; This four story building is a total of
118,890 square feet and is “designed to emphasize student learning, research,
and community collaboration”.&nbsp;
Additionally this building features some of the most state-of-the-art
classrooms and lecture halls on campus, which have larger workspaces,
convenient access to power outlets, comfier chairs, and newer projection
systems.&nbsp; Inside the building you will
find lecture halls accommodating up to 250 students, student common areas and
food vendors, specialized rooms for the College of Business and Economics such
as a financial trading room, as well as a spacious rear courtyard.1Building FeaturesAs one of the newer buildings on campus and since it was intended
to be the new figurehead of the University, a large emphasis was placed on the
building being as green and energy efficient as possible.&nbsp; As such, the building’s architectural design
was heavy influenced by all of these green factors.&nbsp; One such green feature is that the building
is geothermally heated by 165° water delivered from the City of Boise.&nbsp; Any excess heat not used to heat the building
is then pumped under the building’s main entries and courtyard, to assist in melting
snow around the building during Boise’s generally snow-heavy winters.&nbsp; Additionally, the building takes advantage of
advanced water cooling and heat distribution systems, moving from traditional
energy-heavy fans to more efficient active chilled beams.&nbsp; To even further assist in reducing the energy
usage of heating and cooling, while also reducing energy usage from lighting,
the building features occupancy sensors in all of the lecture halls and
classrooms, so that only the parts of the building actively in use are
heated/cooled/lit.Many other forms of energy saving technology and strategies
are incorporated into the building design as well, including how the building’s
wings feature 5120 sq. ft. rooftop garden systems (while the center building
features a traditional pitched roof), which contain natural ground vegetation
in soil, which helps reduce storm-water drainage and reduce heating and cooling
costs.&nbsp; The building’s window placement
was also purposefully planned out to allow for maximum lighting via
day-light.&nbsp; The windows themselves are
composed of many smaller panes of glass connected with muntins, and the panes
are coated with a very thin metallic coating (low-E glazing) which greatly
increases the building’s heat retention in summer while reducing the heat loss
in winter.&nbsp; The building’s courtyard was
even purposefully put in between the building’s two wings to help block out
wind and make it a pleasant space even in the cooler months.2HistoryStepping back and taking a look at the history of this
building, the University took the first step towards the construction of this
building in June of 2006.&nbsp; The MBEB sits
on a plot of land that was previously home to a hotel called the University Inn
(originally named the Thunderbird Lodge when opened in 1957, but was later
renamed to the University Inn in 1982).&nbsp;
This 84 room hotel also featured a lounge on the second floor known as
The Iron Gate which was a popular gathering place for faculty and students
alike.&nbsp; Boise State University purchased
this property for $3.2 million dollars during June of 2006, and shut down the
hotel in October of that year.&nbsp; The building
was then used as temporary faculty office space and student overflow housing
until it was demolished in 2010 to be replaced by the MBEB.6&nbsp;&nbsp; The hotel’s (and its lounge’s) closing meant
shutting down the closest bar to campus, causing much dismay by students as
well as faculty.5ConstructionThe MBEB’s construction, costing $28.8 million dollars, was
largely funded by Micron (hence the building being named after them) who made a
$12.5 million dollar contribution.&nbsp; Its
construction started shortly after the demolition of the University Inn, and
was undertaken by the construction company Engineered Structures Inc.&nbsp; The building was then finished and opened in
2012. The building was designed by the Boise based architectural firm Hummel
Architects, who turned what was originally a fairly bland and rectangular
5-story building plan into the 4-story behemoth that is the MBEB.3&nbsp; Comparing the end-result with the original
proposed plans for the MBEB it was originally meant to be a much more modest
5-story rectangular building, with a more clean and modern style.&nbsp; The plan was expanded to create a much larger
building than was initially planned, and as such the MBEB included more
facilities and rooms than were initially intended, such as the 250 student
lecture hall rather than the 200 student lecture hall that was on the original
proposal.4ArchitectureThe building’s final plan and the MBEB we see today is a
contemporary with a combination of multiple architectural styles, including Romanesque as evidenced
by the buildings use of large columnns and columnn shapes set into the
walls.&nbsp; This is most noticeable at the
building’s front (facing Capitol Boulevard) with its large, spaced out
rectangular columnns spanning the building’s entryway, as well as the large
stone steps which lead up to the building’s main doors which are raised up on
what is essentially a raised dais.&nbsp; The
building’s style was also influenced by the style of many older buildings on
campus, which can be seen in its use of a facing brick surrounding the
exterior, used to help make the exterior more closely match with the older
brick buildings.&nbsp; Although, many people
view this building’s attempt at fitting in with the older campus buildings as a
failure due to the color of the bricks not matching the older buildings and
it’s almost bureaucratic style clashing with the more traditionally academic
architecture of the older buildings.Results of the Building























After this building’s construction, it allowed for large
expansion from Boise State’s College of Business and Economics, due to the
building offering more faculty offices and student lecture halls, as well as
many specialized state of the art rooms, such as the financial trading
room.&nbsp; As a result of this building’s
construction, it also allowed for the College of Business and Economics to roll
out a redesigned Masters of Business Administration program with three possible
tracks.4&nbsp; The building now serves as a
standard for other future buildings with its state-of-the-art class rooms and
lecture halls which are noticeably nicer than any you’d find in Boise State’s
older buildings.&nbsp; If nothing else, the
building allowed BSU to reshape its image into that of a modern university,
with this brand new modern building greeting anyone who arrives on BSU’s campus.

The Micron Business and Economics Building on Boise State's Campus is home to the College of Business and Economics and is often referred to as the face of the University, since its location along Capital Boulevard often makes it the first building seen by visitors arriving on campus.  Constructed in 2012, this building features state-of-the-art classrooms and lecture halls accommodating up to 250 students.  This building replaced the University Inn, a hotel which was purchased by Boise State in 2006, and torn down in 2010.  The construction of the Micron Business and Economics Building was largely made possible thanks to a $12.5 million contribution by Micron, covering almost half of the building's $28.8 million dollar construction cost, and earning them the right to have the building named after them.

Boise State's Micron Business and Economics Building

The Velma V. Morrison Center for the Performing Arts was a concept that was a long time coming for Boise. Harry Morrison, cofounder of a local construction company (Morrison/Knudsen Construction Company), dreamt of providing a performing arts center for Boise many years before it was built. In 1957, Harry Morrison opened Ann Morrison park and left land that he hoped would be the future home of a performing arts center. However, this dream was never to be fulfilled in his lifetime, but rather after his death in 1971, with the help of his widowed wife, Velma Morrison.1Donating $6.5 million on behalf of the Harry W. Morrison Foundation, Velma Morrison was a driving force in the building of the Morrison Center. However, fundraising was a community effort, with private and state donations totaling $8.75 million. This brought the total cost to build and run the Morrison Center to $15.2 million. On October 12th, 1981, construction would begin on the Morrison Center, then called the Harry W. Morrison Center for the Performing Arts.2When the Boise State University agreed to take part in
building the Morrison Center, they worked with all parties involved to create a
list of criteria for which the Morrison Center must have. Mainly, they wished
for the building to be able to not only benefit the community, but the BSU
students as well by housing academic departments for theater, music, and
communications. The University also specified that the building would match the
style of the surrounding buildings. With this, they wanted the center to be
able to seat 2,000 guests in a theater that would also be housed here. One main
requirement that was the driving factor for the City of Boise backing the
building of the center was that the center be used for public groups, not just
the university. Included in the criteria was an estimated price in which all
parties involved in the building of the Morrison Center hoped to not go over,
$11,000,000. It was stated that these funds would come from a mix of private
and state funds. The criteria was given to architecture firms that were being
considered for this job.&nbsp;3From a list of sixteen potential architects, Lombard Conrad
Architects was chosen to complete the building of the Morrison Center. Upon
being chosen, Ernest Lombard wrote a letter to Velma Morrison in appreciation
for being given the opportunity. As a Boise local for many years, Lombard was
very excited to be able to put his mark on such a landmark. He stated to Velma,
“This is a very important and special project to me and to the community. The
opportunity to be involved in such a project comes along once in a life time.”
Chosen to take on the project in late 1979, groundbreaking would not take place
until October 12th, 1981, and it would take Lombard Conrad
Architects four more years to complete in early 1984.&nbsp;4The Morrison Center was built in a modern style, and works
with the style of the surrounding buildings mainly in conjunction with the use
of brick. However, a lighter brick was chosen as compared to the darker brick
the rest of the University buildings used. The brick is laid in a modern design
style, with various areas laying the brick in a vertical pattern, rather than a
horizontal pattern. Along with brick, exposed concrete can also be seen
throughout the building. This building opened up doors for more buildings
completed by Lombard-Conrad Architects, including the Wells Fargo Building
downtown. Local openings of the building reflect on the modern style of the
building, stating that due to budget restraints, the architects were more
worried about getting the building done and opened, rather than focus on
excessive detail. However, other critics state that the purpose the Morrison
Center gives to our community is far more important than how the building
looks. As a fun element to the exterior of the building, the Morrison Center from above resembles the shape of the state of Idaho.&nbsp;5





The Velma V. Morrison Center for the Preforming Arts opened
April 7th, 1984 with its first production: My Fair Lady. On the
first night, the 2,066 seat theater was sold out, and it would continue to be a
packed house for all ten performances. My Fair Lady brought in $171,500 to the
endowment fund for the Morrison Center. The Morrison Center complied with the
public and the universities hopes for a place in which theater, music, and
dance could be enjoyed by all with over 60 performances in its first year.
Today, the Velma V. Morrison Center continues to be one of Boise’s premiere
performing arts center, hosting not only local productions, but national as
well.&nbsp;6

The Velma V. Morrison Center for the Performing Arts is located on the campus of Boise State University. Located right in downtown Boise, the Morrison Center provides a state of the art performing arts venue for not only the university, but the public as well. Built in 1981, and completed in 1984, The Morrison Center brings to Boise a wide variety of upstanding entertainment from all over the country to be enjoyed by all. 


Velma V. Morrison Center for the Performing Arts

Plans to build Campus School began in 1952, and then in 1953 it was actually built. The architect company that was used to build it was Hummel, Hummel &amp; Jones Architecture and the WPA (Works Progress Administration).1&nbsp;Jordon and Son Contractors were also hired to build the 10,000 gallon fuel tank which cost about $4,000.5&nbsp;Each classroom was to be 34 by 36 feet in length. There was to be&nbsp;6 rooms built for grades 1-3 and 3 rooms for grades 4-6. Every classroom was to have and hot and cold drinking fountain with a sink.1Campus School was built to give hands on training to prospective teachers who were currently attending Boise State University which at the time was Boise Junior College. The school consisted of classrooms, an auditorium, a small library, principal’s office, recreation room and nurse’s office. There was even an outside playground with basketballs hoops, four square courts, tetherball, and hopscotch games.3&nbsp;Many of the classrooms had windows so that the prospective teachers could be observed on how well they were doing.In October of 1953 Boise Junior college was permitted to rent 1 room to be used for evening classes. In 1958 summer school started to be offered for grades 1-8 for $20 per student.1&nbsp;In 1987 a satellite dish was placed on the campus school playground because it was the only place it would have direct beam to the satellite. The satellite dish took up a lot of room in the playground which has already been shrinking with how much Boise state had been growing. This caused a lot of legal problems between Boise State and Campus School. Campus School said Boise State was breaking their contract.4Boise State began the voting process to buy Campus School in 1988 to use it for the art department.4&nbsp;In 1990 Campus School was purchased and officially shut down. Renovations then began to turn Campus School into the new art building. Some furniture from the Liberal Arts Building was moved into Campus School. Lockers were put it for the college students to store their art supplies. It was planned that there would be 11 total classrooms. Air conditioning had to be added to accommodate for the hot summers. It was going to cost approximately $62,000 to refurnish campus school.&nbsp;6Currently Campus school is still home to the art department. It now has a printmaking lab, computer lab, teacher offices and rooms for many other art classrooms. Some of the classrooms still have to observation windows. Although now&nbsp;they are not used for watching classrooms and the rooms on the other side of the window are just used for storage space. The lockers that were installed are rented out to students for $20 a year for the storage of their many art supplies. The original chalkboards are still in the classrooms as well. Originally there was plans to have a gallery but instead it is the drawing and paintings classroom seen in the pictures.&nbsp;Boise State University is currently will soon be in the process of building a new Fine&nbsp;Arts building. The new building will have the have many new things like a new gallery and a world museum. The cost for the new building is estimated to be around $43 Million.7&nbsp;This means that Campus school may once again change it's purpose and no longer be home to art department.&nbsp;The building is built by Hummel Hummel &amp; Jones Architecture/WPA who have also built many other buildings around campus in the neo-Gothic collegiate modern style. The outside of the building is mostly brick which was very popular during this time period. There are many awning windows throughout the building to help keep it cool during the summer. The main doors seem to be modeled after Venetian &nbsp;by having the doors filled with windows and a fanlight above them. There are Segmental Arches above the main doors as well. In the drawing and painting room there are skylights to let natural light in. This can be seen in the picture above.2

Campus School is currently home of Boise State’s Art Department, but originally it was an elementary school used to help train teachers. It was built in 1953 and changed to Boise State's Art Department in 1990. It is located right on the corner University Drive and Brady St. Campus is also know as Liberal Art Building West, Campus Building and Public Affairs and Arts West Building (PAAW).

Campus School

&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;The Plans
for the Administration building were drafted in 1910. These plans show the design
and layout for the 1st and 2nd floor as well as the
basement and 3rd floor. Prior to the ground breaking of the Administration
building and other buildings on campus. This stretch of ground was Home to the
Boise airport. It later changed its name to College Airport because of the
Boise Junior college. Over time however the airport was taken out and more
buildings were erected. An article published in the Boise Capital News by Max
G. Funke on September of 1940 recalled the event in which a pilot who had not
flown into Boise for quite some time tried to land at College Airport only to
find a building in the middle of the landing strip. Needless to say, the pilot
was quite confused. Funke uses this event to show how Boise as well as Boise
Junior college have progressed and he even goes on to make a statement in which
he believes in 50 years Boise Junior College and her respective city will be
nationally known and will continue to grow. Funke hit the nail on the head with
this one and to this day Boise State had continued to grow and innovate like
few other colleges can. 

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Upon its
completion in 1940, Boise Junior College held an open house event to show it to
the public. It was built by Hummel &amp; Hummel Architects in Boise in conjunction with the WPA (Works Progress Administration) in the neo-Gothic collegiate modern style. They opened their doors to the Boise citizens and allowed them to
tour the Administration building under escort of the students. Many people were
amazed at the equipment in place for the sciences and the lounging area in the
Student Union room. Even though everything for the Boise Junior College was
located within a single building, it was a start for the school and with the
number of students it was a perfect fit. The school eventually began erecting
more buildings as the attendance grew as well as erected the dormitories for
students to live in. One was assigned for males, the other for females.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; The reason
that the Administration building is not facing outward, is because University
Dr. was not intended to be the main road through campus. Instead the road known
now as Caesar Chavez Ln was supposed to be the main road. The administration
building faced the Boise River and had a large U shaped driveway for students
to park in front of the main building. When looking through historic
photographs, it really captures the essence of the college and what they had
planned for when creating a school. 

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; In the 1950’s
after creation of the dormitories and with the size of the college growing the
board decided to rename the Administration building to the Oliver O. Haga Hall.
This was in honor of Oliver O. Haga. Most people who attend Boise State now and
others who visit the campus generally still call it the administration
building.&nbsp;

At the center of the Boise State campus stands the historic Administration building. It was constructed in 1940 after Boise Junior College was created in the 1930s. This building is a rare historic moment because it was one of a few buildings that were started before WW2 and were still completed even though the war was going on. The building was designed with academia in mind. With the red brick and subtle ornaments on the outside this building started the trend for the rest of the buildings (excluding the ILC) on campus. This was the hub for all things centered around Boise Junior College. The library and student union were both located inside the Administration building before getting their own respective building to themselves. 

Boise State University Administration Building

The Library began in 1932, most likely a shelf or two in the office of a Dean or Professor with a modest 4,000 volumes.&nbsp; It wasn’t long before the growth of the student body, mostly due to the GI Bill after World War II, demanded a library that met their needs.&nbsp; By the early 1960’s the library was occupying an entire end of the Administration Building and bursting at the seams. In July 1960, Boise Junior College had 24,424 volumes. By the time the library moved to its new building&nbsp;there were over 20,000 volumes.In 1961 the architects Hummel-Hummel-Jones and Shawver&nbsp;were tasked with creating a modern aesthetically&nbsp;pleasing building,&nbsp;yet inviting to students and faculty. They chose to use dark red brick with white cast stone trim and vertical fenestration which was the characteristic design motif of the campus at the time. The main entrance featured two Precast Terrazo staircases with a Terrazo base and floor&nbsp;that lead to the second floor.&nbsp;Amenities included an informal reading and&nbsp;smoking room and a typing room.&nbsp; In 1964 still a two-year junior college, a new modern&nbsp;library building was opened. It was the&nbsp;intent when the building was built&nbsp;that the&nbsp;entire first floor would be&nbsp;dedicated to books with the second floor being dedicated to the Instructional Materials Center, office and classroom spaces. The library was planned as a Junior College building and as such would have served it well for many years, but in 1965 when the two-year college became a developing four-year degree granting institution,&nbsp;it was no longer&nbsp;large enough.In 1967, the Esquire Club, a college organization that's composed of veterans,&nbsp;raised funds&nbsp;to build a mall and fountain between the Library and the Liberal Arts Building. The mall would be&nbsp;dedicated to the memory of Idaho men and women who had died in the armed forces. The cost of the mall was $17,500 and it featured a fountain, planters, benches, sidewalk and flagpole. On October 22, 1968 the mall and fountain were dedicated&nbsp;and many state dignitaries delivered speeches, including Sen. Frank Church.Also in 1968, President Barnes prioritized a $2,616,000 four-story addition to the Library on the west side of the existing structure. The $2,616,000 included the cost of books, desks, stacks, electronic and other equipment. Construction of the second phase lasted from 1970-1972. When the addition was completed the Library was renamed The Library Learning Center. In 1993, another expansion to the Library was planned. This addition was planned for the south facing side of the two story original building. The addition would include the removal of the mall, fountain and the two staircases in the main entry and addition of the columnned hall and a three-floor atrium. Also in 1993,&nbsp;former Albertsons executive, Warren McCain, offered a matching gift to the library which created a 2 million dollar endowment for the collection of books on western life. Upon the completion of the addition and the new McCain Reading Room in 1995, the Library was rededicated and renamed the Albertsons Library.In 2015, the Maker Lab opened on the first floor, a student center that features 3D printers, vinyl cutter, a green screen and more. Also in 2015, the College of Innovation and Design opened on the second floor replacing the old Instructional Materials Center space.&nbsp;

The Albertsons Library is located on the Boise State University campus, north of the Administration Building. The building architects were Hummel –Hummel-Jones and Shawver, a local architecture firm. Construction of the building began in 1962 after district voters approved an $800,000 bond. In 1964, then Boise Junior College, opened the doors to a new, some 44,000 square foot, modernist library building. Since then, the building has undergone two additions between 1970 and 1995 and now also houses the College of Innovation and Design and the Maker Lab.  

Albertsons Library

Frank K. Hummel was the architect who designed the Assembly Hall. The building was constructed by the WPA in the neo-Gothic collegiate modern style.1&nbsp;The original intention for the building was to host assemblies for Boise Junior College students. The building's ceiling is specially insulated for acoustics.&nbsp;A 1941 newspaper called "Boise Capital News" stated that although the building's purpose is for assemblies and a student union, the growth of the college population demanded that the building be used as a library.2 This usage was dependent on an expansion that ultimately did not happen.&nbsp; Architecture:&nbsp; The original&nbsp;floor plan of the Auditorium included a stage in the main hall of the building&nbsp;and practice rooms. Additional rooms on the west end of the building included restrooms and lounges. The cost of the completed building was $88,675. The building was largely constructed of concrete which was reinforced with steel. The ceilings were specially insulated in order to provide better acoustics to the main hall. The exterior was faced with dark red Salt Lake brick. Hummel used the same brick on the administration building.&nbsp; Historical Use: Assembly Hall Assemblies were hosted in the Assembly hall. The purpose was general and throughout the years the building has&nbsp;has held any musical performer, dancer, or lecturer that wished to use the building. Modern Use: Hemingway Center The English department has offices within the Hemingway Center Building.&nbsp; Modern Use: Visual Arts Center The Boise State University Visual Arts Center uses the main hall as a gallery space for ever-changing temporary exhibitions.&nbsp; Modern Use: Anthropology&nbsp; The Anthropology department has labs within the Hemingway Center.&nbsp; Modern Use: Music Department Musical performances are conducted upon occasion by the Boise State University Music Department. The building's original purpose was intended to cater to wonderful acoustics. Though the organ is not used, a grand piano is instead housed on the stage in the main hall.3&nbsp;

The Hemingway Center building is located NE of Liberal Arts building. The actual address is: 1819 Campus Lane. The building contains Boise State's Hemingway Western Studies Center, labs for Boise State's Anthropology department, offices, and an extension of Boise State's VAC (Visual Arts Center) which holds frequent temporary exhibitions. Frank K. Hummel designed this building originally called, interchangeably, the "Assembly Hall" or "Assembly Building". It has also been referred to as the "Auditorium". 

Hemingway Center building

Located directly north of the original Student Union Building (today’s Communication Building) and along the Boise River, the construction of these halls accommodated&nbsp;the rise in Boise’s student population as well as predicted the continual growth of the college in the foreseeable future.1 &nbsp;As World War II’s GI’s flooded into universities from 1946-1950 and with birth rates on the rise, College President Eugene Chaffee foresaw a great growth of student enrollment. While at the time he was serving in the United States Navy in 1946, Chaffee wrote to the College Board of a need to stabilize Boise Junior College’s future during this unstable time of war. He suggested, “new dormitories could be used for military training of young men”. The board seemingly approved of this request and on April 11, 1950 a bond election was passed by a vote of 87% in favor of building dormitories for young men as well as young women.2Designed by the Boise architectural firm of Hummel, Hummel and Jones, the dormitories predicted cost was around $500,000 and their projected completion date was set at September 1951.3 The actual total cost, however, was $448,495, which included all expenses such as construction, furnishing, heating and electrical.2 While at the time, a large investment for the college, Boise State University’s newest Honors College Residences cost around $40 million with a predicted completion date of 2017. It seems President Chaffee was correct when he envisioned Boise State’s growth and expansion.Nearing the building’s construction completion date, the new residences still needed names. At a Board of Trustees meeting on July 27, 1951, “Morrison Hall” and “Driscoll Hall” were decided upon. The women’s residence would be named after Ann Daly Morrison, in “honor of a benefactor of the college and wife of a former member of the Board of Trustees”. The men’s residence would be named after John Lynn Driscoll Jr., “in honor of a Boise boy who lost his life in WWII and son of former president of the Board of Trustees”.2At the time of completion, Morrison and Driscoll Halls both consisted of 48 single and 15 double rooms within two floors and a basement level. Located within the basement was a janitor’s room, laundry/kitchen, mechanical, storage and electrical rooms as well as game and computer rooms.4After the release of the popular film “Animal House” in 1978, living on-campus was now seen as “cool”. The popularity of residence halls was on the rise and the student body began realizing the many perks of living in them. Men and women could live amongst each other, visitation hours were standard, meal plans were flexible and quiet hours were enforced. More students wanted “the college experience” which now meant living on campus. Plus, universities in Idaho had housing rates considered a bargain compared the average U.S. university at the time.5Currently in 2017, Driscoll and Morrison are both co-ed and home to approximately 150 of BSU’s current Honor’s College students. If choosing to live in either, you will reside in a furnished suite of 8 to 12 students, with laundry and kitchen located in building.6 2017 housing costs range from $4200-$5200 for an academic year as compared to $70-$141 monthly in 1972.6/7 As a resident, you will also be assigned a Resident Director and/or live amongst a Resident Assistant. Throughout campus history, Resident Directors and Assistants have been vital components in maintaining the rules, function and success of the residence communities. In fact, in 1968, being a “RD” was an “experience proven to be one of the best recommendations possible for job opportunities after graduation”. Applicants must have been a sophomore or junior who would live in the dorm with a “high degree of social competence and ability to work well with other students”. The salary consisted of room and board plus $50 a month.8You will also be pleased to know that Driscoll and Morrison have always been keeping up with the times. Vending machines were added in the late 1960’s and revenued $140 from October to December 10, 1970. In the 1980-1981 fiscal year, new color televisions were added to each of the lounges.9 Today, each residence is equipped with Wifi and HD cables. Evident in their architecture, Driscoll and Morrison Halls both have Boise State’s signature red brick exterior in a common bond pattern, a triangular gable roof, square stone entry ways and small jalousie windows at the top point of the facade which provide the buildings with ventilation.10 Virtually identical, Driscoll and Morrison Halls are reminiscent of Boise State’s charming past in their Post-Modern styles with classical influences.Walking by these historical halls you can’t help but feel reminiscent of the times when Boise State was a mere Junior College with vast open spaces, few buildings and a small student body population; little did they know of the magnificent university it would become.

     Built in 1951, Morrison and Driscoll Halls were the first on-campus living residences at Boise State. While Boise Junior College at the time, Driscoll housed men while Morrison housed women. It wasn’t until the 1972-73 school year when Driscoll and Morrison Halls became Boise State’s first co-ed residence halls. Fast forward to modern day, Driscoll and Morrison now serve as the living quarters of Boise State University’s Honors College students. 

Driscoll and Morrison Residence Halls

The Communications Building was one of the first buildings on campus. The neo-Gothic collegiate modern&nbsp;building was constructed by Hummel &amp; Hummel Architects in conjunction with the WPA (Works Progress Administration) and opened on March 3,&nbsp;1942 and cost $28,000 (in 1940s dollars) which equates to about $67,000 now.1 The original purpose of the building was to be a place for students to relax and socialize, it was the original Student Union Building until the mid 1960s. Some architectural features include mostly swinging doors throughout the interior of the building with double French doors on the North facing entrance. Above the French doors is an overdoor with ornamental carvings in the stone; trees above the date 1932 are in a circle in the top left corner, 1951 is&nbsp;in the middle, and trees above the date 1951 are in another circle in the top right corner. Multiple pane windows surround the building and are original. The window above the North entrance contains 32 panes, while some contain 8 or 3 panes. The building is constructed of red brick which matches most of the other buildings on campus. The cornerstone of the original Student Union was laid in November 1941 and the building opened in 1942. Overcrowding forced students to build a new union at its current location in 1967, and the building was renamed the Music-Drama Building. In 1984 the building was remodeled and added on to and became the Communication Building.6 &nbsp;During the 1940s few buildings were built due to the war. Due to the campus gaining popularity and Boise gaining popularity as a good place to settle down a raise a family, more students enrolled which caused a need for more structures to house classrooms and provide relaxing social environments.2 Soon after the construction, Friday night dances were held (and even taken away for student misconduct a few times) in the ballroom. Many historical images show students laughing, talking, and smoking cigarettes.&nbsp;In 1945 it was considered the nicest Student Union building in the Northwest, which was unusual for Boise State University's small campus at the time. It contained a jukebox, soda fountain, and a homey lounge that created a pleasant atmosphere that attracted students during their free-time.4 After 1967 a new Student Union Building&nbsp;was built and the old Student Union was renamed Subal Theater, or the Music-Drama Annex. At the time it provided expanded classrooms, practice, and recital facilities for music students; speech and drama laboratory facilities; and a radio broadcast studio known as KBSU. The Subal Theater held many plays including A Midsummer Night's Dream, The Seven Deadly Sins, Tartuffe,&nbsp;Macbeth, and The Servant of Two Masters.3 One of the most intriguing stories about the Communications Building is that it is haunted by a ghost named Dina from the 1940s. Legend has it that Dina had a boy picked out for prom and when she asked him to go he refused and said he had other plans. She decided to go alone and upon arrival discovered the boy with another girl. This upset her profoundly and drove her to take her own life, some say by cutting her wrists, others say by hanging herself in the women's bathroom by room 226. Faculty and students have claimed to hear the piano in the building playing "London Bridge," and "Someone's in the Kitchen with Dina" when nobody else is in the building. They have also claimed to see DINA written on chalkboards and in lipstick on the mirror in the women's bathroom. Other signs of Dina include footsteps, stage-lights moved and dimmed mysteriously, teachers name plaques flipped upside down, and a woman's laughter.5&nbsp;More recent hunts for Dina have been conducted through local news reporters and professional ghost hunters who have also claimed that there is a supernatural presence in the building.

The Communications Building, originally called The Student Union Building (also The Corral) was opened March, 1942. The original intended purpose was to be a place for students to grab a drink and food, socialize, and have Friday night dances. In 1967 the Student Union Building was erected Southeast of what is now the Communications Building, which left the building open for classrooms and moved all social gatherings and activities to the new Student Union Building.



Communications Building

&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; With the increase of students happened the university
decided to build a new student union building to accommodate its growing
student body. The new SUB cost the university one million dollars to build in 1967. It was designed by Boise architect Charles Hummel in the modern style. The new SUB had air conditioning, a bowling alley, game
room, bookstore, and barbershop.&nbsp;The
building uses normal brick and concrete on the outside. The inside has acoustic
ceiling that has recessed grids to support the roof.&nbsp;During the 1960’s the Student Union Building
was known as the College Union Building (CUB). It did not become the Student
Union Building until the 1970’s. In 1992 a student sit-in was held by the
students because the SUB became a smoke free building. In 1996 the first Student
Union website was created and student employment increase to 150. To this day
the SUB employs over 260 students and over 6,000 people visit the SUB.&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; The Student
Union Building went through several different remodels and expansions to
accommodate the growing university. In 1972 the CUB (SUB) underwent its first
expansion, 140,000 square feet was added onto the building. With this expansion,
they added on a ballroom, which is known as the Jordan Ballroom that is located
upstairs. The expansion also included an outdoor center and a game center. In the
1980’s the SUB underwent a remodel of the University Snack Bar and added two
external annex buildings. They need to remodel the snack bar and add two annex
building because of the growing student population and club organizations.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; In 1991 the
SUB expanded again, this expansion cost the university five million dollars. This
expansion was done to increase office space and meeting rooms of the Student
Union Building. They added an administration wing for Student Activities, conference
services, and Student Union business offices. The next remodel was in 1997 and
it was to update the Union Food Court to help increase sales. Then in 1999 the
Sub went under another remodel, they put in new carpet and painted the exterior
of the building. The most recent expansion was in 2009, which cost the
university 30 million dollars. This expansion included new lounges, dining
halls, student origination space, meeting rooms, the Simplot ballroom,
expanding the bookstore, and student government offices. All these remodels
have happened because of the increase of student and visitors that come to the
university. 

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; The Student
Union Building has held many different events throughout the year. In the 1950’s
while the SUB was still in the Communication Building the university put
together a Union Committee to organize evening events that were held on campus.
Then in the 1970’s they added the Special Event Center (SPeC) right next to the
SUB to help with the various events that go on. The SUB hold student organized
events and public events in the building. The Student Union Building is used by
students and by the public to hold various events and fund raisers throughout
the year. Some event that are open to the public and students are the movies night
that are held in the SPeC and blood drives that held in the upstairs meeting
rooms. The SUB also host a public Job Fair at least once a year. 

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; The building
also has a gallery on the second floor, which is open to artist to show and
sell their artwork. There are also different areas upstairs and downstairs
where you can find artwork that the SUB has had donated to them. They have even
found ways to keep the outside of the original building windows as a shadow box
to hold large pieces of artwork. There are walls upstairs that have become walls
of honors or recognition of various people. These walls are dedicated to
important people that have help the university. The people on the wall have
donated or were alumni that had an impact on the university in some way. One
wall upstairs is dedicated to patents that have a significance for the
university. There is another wall dedicated to important donors like the Simplot’s
that have helped the university. 

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; During the
early 1970’s the Student Program Board was (SPB) was formed. The SPB allowed
students to be more involved and gave them a voice in the Student Union. This allowed
the students to help decide what happens in their SUB. The Sub has many things
for students to occupy their time. There are various food stations, convenience
store, game rooms, pool tables, and a bowling alley in it. 

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; During the
late 1970’s the Student Union Building had ninety student organizations in the building.
Today the Sub has over 210 student organizations that use the building to hold
gatherings and meetings. There are also areas for the students to relax and
study. The bookstore has expanded to accommodate the growing student body,
which allows the students to get their school essentials there for a large
portion of their classes. The SUB has also made it easier for students by
including a transportation office, so that students can find bus schedules, pay
for yearly parking, and pay tickets.&nbsp;

	In 1942 the Student Union Building was in the building now known as the Communication Building. The building that replaced the old one was completed in 1967. The Student Union Building was built in the international style and by the R. W. Luekenga Construction Company. It has had several remodels and expansions done to it, due the increase of students and the need for more space. The first expansion was in 1972, they added on to make the building larger. The most recent remodel was done in 2009. The SUB is open for the public and is a busy building where students and visitors come and go throughout the day. 

Student Union Building 

Lets go back to when Boise State
University had all started.&nbsp; Previously
an airport for Boise, Idaho, BSU has come a long way in the making. Boise
Junior College was founded in 1932 with association with Episcopal Church. In
1934 the connections between Episcopal Church and Boise Junior College had
ended and the campus had moves to the south bank of the Boise River in 1940.
The school soon became Boise State College after gaining 4-year status in 1965.
Then it became a university in 1974 joining two other preexisting universities
in Idaho. Believe it or not at one point the total enrollment of BSU was 215
students (1938), but since then the campus population has grown as well as the
campus buildings. (Boise State University 2017) &nbsp;Due to the rapid growth of BSU some
amazing architects had constructed some great and noteworthy buildings onto the
campus. One of those buildings is the Bronco Gym. &nbsp;Aesthetically this building relates to many other
buildings on campus due to consistency of design by the same/related architects.
To gain a little more information about the architects, Hummel, Hummel and
Jones (Frederick Hummel, Frank Hummel, and Jedd Jones III) lets explore their
vision for the design of buildings located on campus. &nbsp;Frank Hummel was the main lead in
the construction of this campus. During the time of Boise State Junior College
emerging, it was in the midst of World War II, and depression was spread as far
as the West. During this time in Europe and England, universities had
Gothic-styled buildings on campus surrounding a common area, usually of grass.
This idea was brought back to America and used for inspiration. Frank Hummel
not only used this but the popularity of Art Deco to create a unique
Gothic-collegiate style in the first buildings constructed on campus. (Carter 1995)
Although the Hummels’ still own an architectural firm to this day, some BSU
buildings are still some of their greatest accomplishments.&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;Many of these buildings, including
the first Student Union Building and Administrative Building, were very
identifiable for Gothic-Collegiate. These buildings didn’t fully achieve Gothic
style due to the expensive quality of Gothic architecture and design.
Therefore, Frank Hummel used red brick including white terra cotta, often added
lamps and took away the stone tracery. (Charles Hummel 2010) Although as
time passed buildings started to lose the Gothic-Collegiate, yet retained the
red brick and white trim, style going into the 1950’s. The Bronco Gym was one
of those buildings. &nbsp;The Bronco Gym not only includes
the red brick as well as the white terra cotta seen consistently throughout
campus. The brickwork of this building is a Flemish bond of sorts having a
smaller brick placed consistently in rows throughout the bond. The floor of the
base level is vinyl tile (outside of gym) as a resilient flooring and carpet on
the upper level. It has awning windows surrounding both levels of the building
with white trim on the inside and out, but are locked shut now. The ceiling of
the base level is a drop ceiling concealed grid while the upper level includes
an exposed grid with acoustical tile. Entering in through the main entrance are
two pairs of double active leaf doors. Throughout the rest of the building are
single acting doors (mainly on the upper level) and a few double-acting doors
leading into the gym. &nbsp;Although these architects had
developed many other buildings on campus they had built this gym that has held
much more than student-affiliated memories and athletic events. This building
couldn’t have come at better time for the Boise community. It was used for much
more than just a gym but many events, such as dances, charity events, auctions
and even pageants. What made this variety of events possible was the construction
of the interior. Included in the main gym were rollaway, as well as portable,
seating, and a higher-level platform with an arch opening. Attributes located
outside of the main gym included locker rooms facilitated with showers and
dressing rooms, and classrooms located on the upper level. A lot of these
aspects of the Bronco Gym are still used today. &nbsp;Once this gym was open for use,
rules had to be set. The student executive board had met to work some kinks out
of the student operation of the gym. Specifically, policies for basketball
games were set. The student and band section was decided to be located on the
lower West side of the gymnasium. When arriving to the games, on-campus living
students would enter through the West side while students with vehicles would
park in the East lot located between the gym and stadium and enter in through
the doors with the help of Pi Sigs. For students to enter the game, they would
have to be admitted by showing their student activity tickets, after purchasing
them outside the main door (East entrance).&nbsp;
The Bronco Gym was constructed specifically for this routine for
admittance into the gym. If a student wanted to take a friend or guest, they
could purchase a ticket for 50 cents and the guest could join the student
section with full knowledge of the expectations of the student body. Different
organizations within the college community contributed to the success to these
games either by ushering, running concessions and controlling traffic. Meetings
with the Pep team and band took place to work out pep rallies for games. (College 1956) 


















































To this day students and guests
enter through the East door and are admitted into the game. The student section
still remains in the same location, although often the band is located on the
second level of the stands. Also this gym is now used for the athletic Women’s
Volleyball program and not basketball, which is now located in Taco Bell Arena.
Although this building has had a lot of renovations and updates since it being
built, the most recent update to it can be found in with the links.

The Bronco Gym was constructed in 1955 and open in the beginning of 1956. Constructed by Hummel, Hummel and Jones it was first named Gymnasium during the time Boise State University was Boise Junior College. It was soon renamed Human Performance Center in 1986 and became the Kinesiology Building in 2001. It is also referred to as Bronco Gym. It is located on the Eastern side of campus cornered on Bronco Ln road and the parking lot parallel to the Albertson’s Stadium. It’s exterior includes the traditional red brick walls and white terra cotta. It has served years of sporting events and other events held by the community. 

Bronco Gymnasium/ Kinesiology Building

<h3>The&nbsp;Beginning</h3>During 1976, a project proposal was created to help build and
fund a multipurpose building for Boise State University. The Pavilion as it
would be named is a multipurpose entertainment facility built by the
architectural firm CSHQA in the Post-Modern style with the price tag of $17.5 million. Construction
first began in 1980 after the State Board of Education signed off on a $16
million bond with Boise State University signing contracts that brought the
total amount to $17.5 million. In June of 2004, Taco Bell would take interest
in the facility and would later sign a 15 year contract for naming rights
agreement with Boise State University for $4 million. 1<h3>Controversy Arises</h3>

Since its conception in 1976, the pavilion has been at the
forefront of controversy between both students/faculty and the State Board of
Education. The plans for the building went through several financial plans that
were rejected due to high construction bids, student protests over an increase
in student fees by $40, and an increase in interest rates on the bonds the
university was planning to use to fund the construction. Ultimately the State
Board of Education would approve a $16 million bond while Boise State
University would sign contracts worth $17.5 million.&nbsp;1<h3>Problems Continue</h3>

However with the financial plan ironed out and construction beginning
on the site, there was yet another problem. Pre-existing buildings wouldn’t
allow for the construction of a perfect ring circle as planned. CSHQA
co-founder and leading architect Glen Cline came up with the plan to make the
arena into an oval. This would turn into a major asset for the structure as the
shape allowed for lower levels of seating on the arena floor to be closer to
the action and would allow the upper level seating areas to be more
concentrated towards one side of the arena; thus giving spectators in
attendance a better vantage point of the stage and create a more intimate
experience.&nbsp;2<h3>Features</h3>Taco Bell Arena, with its main arena floor being 17,472 sq. ft., has the carrying capacity of 13,390 seats for events. The facility features many amenities such as meeting rooms, production offices, dressing rooms, locker rooms, a control room, and the main arena floor. The facility comes with two state of the art sound systems. Both the Altec Lansing and Panasonic Ramsa loudspeaker clusters combined consist of 44 high/mid frequency and 22 low frequency speakers. The facility also comes with two lighting systems consisting of 52 metal-halide fixtures that provide lighting over the arena floor and all three levels of seating areas. 4

With the oval shape of the arena, there needed to be a way to
help support the immense weight that would be put on the buildings cement
foundation. To do this, the arena implements a high tension cable system along
with metal beams to help disperse the weight of the saddle shape roof.
Following in suite with the oval shape of the arena, the saddle switch roof was
also designed with function in mind. The roof with its concave interior shape
created barriers where sound waves could reflect off of the surfaces, thus
providing acoustics to all parts of the arena which would later help eliminate
the use of sound machine assistance in the future. The shape also allowed the
height of the building to remain level with surrounding buildings as to not
block the vantage points from other areas of the campus. 3

Just as important as the exterior was to the design, so was
the interior. The flooring of Taco Bell Arena is comprised of a poured mix; in
relation to Tartan-style flooring, of multiple layers of asphalt, gravel, and
sand layered in a crisscross pattern to create a synthetic material. With this
technique being implemented into the construction of the flooring, it allowed for
maximum durability and flexibility of being able to diversify what type of
flooring was needed for certain events. This was a key feature that was essential
to the multipurpose functionality that the university was seeking. 2<h3>Treasuring the Past... Shaping the Future</h3>Boise State University is a campus that is enriched with history from its humble beginning as a small junior college founded by the Episcopal Church in 1932. Over the course of its&nbsp;existence&nbsp;in the city of Boise, Idaho, the university has become a leading university in both higher learning and education for not only the past but the future. With a diverse range of cultural aspects, sporting events, and rich traditions, Boise State University will continue&nbsp;to remain a leader in the realm of higher education here in Idaho and remain one of the top universities for years to come. 5 If you enjoyed learning information&nbsp;about Taco Bell Arena (BSU Pavilion), be sure to check out other buildings&nbsp;here on campus as well!

Located in the heart of Boise State University’s campus lies a building considered to be one of the most prestigious entertainment arenas in the West; Taco Bell Arena (formally known as The Pavilion). Constructed in 1982 by the architectural firm CSHQA to the cost of $17.5 million, Taco Bell Arena has proven to be a powerhouse for all college arenas across the nation for showcasing collegiate sports such as basketball, gymnastics, and wrestling. The arena has also became a staple for commercial entertainment by hosting concerts by well-known recording artists such as Maroon 5, Katy Perry, Imagine Dragons, Ariana Grande,  and many more. Taco Bell Arena in of itself is a destination that not only brings in opportunities for the university but also the residents and travelers who come to visit Boise, Idaho.

Taco Bell Arena (The Pavilion)

Construction/architectural details

The architects chosen to design the stadium were Nat J. Adams &amp;
Associates. Construction of the Albertsons Stadium was completed in 1970 in the contemporary collegiate athletic stadium style. It cost $2.2 million to construct. Architecturally speaking, modern stadiums have been influenced by ancient colosseums. You can thank Roman architects for the standard ''U'' shape of the stadium, the tiered seating style, and even the covered roofs that some stadiums boast. History In 1940, Boise Junior college moved to to the old airport site next to the Boise River. The original Bronco field was on the site where the current Student Union Building is. The bleachers were made of wood and had a capacity to seat 1,000 people. However, the junior college would borrow extra bleachers from Boise High when needed. In the 1950s, the first Bronco Stadium was constructed. It had a seating capacity of 10,000. In 1969 construction of the west side tier and field began for the current stadium. Initially the seating capacity was 14,000. Later AdditionsThe first addition to the Bronco Stadium was the construction of the east side upper deck in 1975.This boosted the seating capacity to 20,000. The second addition took place in 1997 with the construction of the southwest and southeast corners, the Allen Noble Gallery, and the Larry and Marianne Williams Plaza. The third addition happened in 2008 and consisted of the Stueckle Sky Center. The fourth addition added permanent seating to the north and south end zones. In 2014 the Bronco Stadium changed its name to the Albertsons Stadium do to .Today the seating capacity is 36,387. 

&nbsp;

FieldIn the summer of 1986, the first Blue Turf was installed. It was the first non-green artificial turf in the country. Although the public is restricted from being on the Blue Turf (due to issues with people clipping pieces from the turf) you get an excellent view from the stands and from the Allen Noble Gallery. The Blue turf has been referred to as the ''smurf turf'' by some, although the Broncos are not as friendly as the characters from the cartoon series. 

&nbsp;

&nbsp;Allen Noble GalleryThe Allen Noble Gallery boasts much of Boise States sports achievements. In order to be inducted to the BSU hall of fame you will have had to graduated and been out of school for at least five years. Upon walking in to the Allen Noble Gallery you will be greeted by an information assistant who can assist you with information about the rich history of sports at BSU. On display are several trophies, plaques and memorabilia, along with information boards with a wealth of knowledge. So, if you're a first time visitor, this is an excellent place to familiarize yourself with interesting facts about the athletic achievements BSU athletes have accomplished. 

 Stueckle Sky Center

BSU’s Stueckle Sky Center is the newest addition to the Albertsons
Stadium with amazing views of the famous ‘’Blue Turf’’. It was opened in August
of 2008. The Stuekle Sky Center is a four level 131,000sq ft. facility that is
comprised of 48 loge boxes, 832 club seats, 39 sky suites, and 5 banquet style/
meeting venues. This is the only part of the stadium where alcohol consumption is permitted. &nbsp;

&nbsp;&nbsp;

Conclusion





 If you're ever in the beautiful city of Boise Idaho, come enjoy a football game at the Albertsons Stadium. Experience the ''Blue'' in a friendly, but competitive&nbsp; environment. Many of our fans have tailgate parties in the parking lot as well. So come out and enjoy the game! Go Broncos!

Boise State University is home to the NCAA division 1 Boise State Broncos. When the Broncos have home games they play at the Albertsons Stadium (formerly known as the Bronco Stadium) located at BSU. In addition to its rich history, the Albertsons Stadium is unique in many ways. It boasts the only artificial ‘’blue turf’’ in the league, the Noble Gallery that holds BSU’s sports history and accomplishments, and the aesthetically pleasing Stuekle Sky Center. 

Albertsons Stadium

Built
in 1866, Christ Chapel first resided on 7th &amp; Bannock and was
built in hopes to provide a schoolhouse and church for the growing settlers in
the Boise Valley. Reverend Michael Fackler was the first to perform a sermon in
the church after it was built with the money raised by the congregation through
fundraising events and ice cream socials. Shortly after the 1st
sermon in September, 1866, Rev. Michael Fackler passed away a month later and
the church was named ‘St. Michael’s Episcopal Church’ in his memory, becoming
the first Protestant church in Idaho, Montana, and Utah. This chapel, in its humble Gothic
Revival style, inherited an organ in 1869 as well as an alter and multiple pews
made with wood from Cape Horn. The present organ is the Chapel’s 3rd
but the alter, pews, and stained glass windows are original. The church’s bell
still hangs in the tower and can be heard from miles around. In
the 1900’s, when St. Michael’s Cathedral was built, the church was moved to 15th
&amp; Ridenbaugh with an additional wing to the schoolhouse. After some time,
church goers moved to the cathedral for their activities instead and the
building was almost sold, as it no longer had much use for them. With the
collaborative help of St. Michael’s Cathedral, The Sons and Daughters of Idaho
Pioneers, and Boise Junior College, the chapel moved onto Boise’s college campus
in 1964. With that, the Christ Chapel Inc. (known later as the Christ Chapel
Historical Society) which became dedicated to preserving Christ Chapel’s
historic structure. Mr. Jim Brown, Idaho Statesman’s Publisher at that time, graciously
covered the cost of moving and restoring the Chapel. Since then, this little
building has not moved from its home and has been carefully restored in ways
that held true to its original style. For example, the turrets at the top of
the building were restored by referencing old photos and scuff marks on the
back of the pews were kept since they were made by the young and restless
worshippers many years ago. Dr. Eugene Chaffee was known to be
fond of the Chapel, often calling it “the grandparent of Boise College” due to
its similar ties to St. Margaret’s School. Chaffee was at the helm of Christ
Chapel Historical Society as a board member and advocate for historical preservation.
Together, him and his wife were the caretakers of Christ Chapel for as long as
they were physically able to, opening it up for special events and for visitor
tours on Sundays. In
1973, Christ Chapel was added to the National Register of Historic Places and an
Idaho marker was placed in front of the church. During the placement of the
marker, Florence Margaret Lovejoy, the daughter and grand-daughter of two of
Christ Chapel’s original carpenters, read her poem about Christ Chapel and
later wrote short stories and memoirs of her father and grand-father spending
time at the Chapel. Today,
Christ Chapel is used for nondenominational weddings and is still owned and operated
by the Christ Chapel Historical Society.

Christ Chapel was built in 1866 as St. Michael’s Episcopal Church and became the first Protestant church in Idaho, Montana, and Utah. Over time, it was relocated to the North End and then was moved to its current location on Boise State University campus in 1964. In 1973, Christ Chapel was added to the National Register of Historic Places. Today, the church is still owned and operated by the Christ Chapel Historical Society where it is used for nondenominational weddings and ceremonial events. 

Boise State University

John B. Barners Towers Hall

Introduction

Images

Backstory and Context

Sources

Additional Information