Classroom

In 1886 Gillette Cottage was built. The cottage was named after Solomon L. Gillette who had taken interest in Park College and the unique family work. He endowed at least twelve scholarships of $1,000 to Park students. Upon his death in 1894, portions of his scholarship money went to the construction of campus cottages. Gillette Cottage was originally designed to be the home of H.B. McAfee, the business manager of Park. The cottage was occupied by McAfee until it became a female dormitory for students in 1924. The roof of the cottage caught fire in July of 1944 causing damage to only the attic. Later, in the 1960s, Gillette Cottage was demolished.

A photo taken of the front entrance of Gillette Cottage from street view.

Photo taken of the exterior on Gillette Cottage.

Photo taken of the side on Gillette Cottage.

More Info

Gillette Cottage was a female dormitory at Park University. The cottage was built in 1886 and was demolished in 1960.

Gillette Cottage (1886-1960)

This tour through Park University was created by students and faculty of the university for the benefit of students, alumni, staff, faculty, and community members. 

Park University History Tour

Admin

The Westcott Building was named after Edwin R. Westcott. After Edwin Westcott passed away, his wife, Helen, sent a donation to Park University as they admired the educational work Park had been doing. In one of the many letters Helen sent to Park, she stated, “[...] my object for the money is to do the greatest amount of good it can” (dated February 16, 1895). Helen Westcott gave a five hundred dollar scholarship to Park University. Helen requested a building to be named after Edwin as a remembrance.The building was constructed in 1895 for use by Park University. The architecture of the building was industrial with a brick siding covering the front and stone siding along the sides, multiple half-rounded windows, and a flat rooftop. The Print Shop and campus store were located inside the Westcott Building until 1950 when&nbsp;a new print shop opened in downtown Parkville, Missouri. Later, the Westcott Building was converted to be used by the maintenance department for the few years it had left. The Westcott Building was demolished in 1988. Currently, the lot where the building once stood is now home to Park University’s Julian Soccer Field.

Named in honor of Edwin R. Westcott by his wife Helen Westcott. From its building year in 1895 to its demolition in 1988, the building was used as the campus store and Print Shop, and was later transformed for use by the maintenance department. 


Westcott Building

Since the beginning of Park College/ University in 1875 it has been seen as the 'self help' school, with the name being a reference to the 
students who had little to no money available and had their tuition paid 
off by working at the school. Yet by 1903 the famous work department (Park College Family) did not even have a headquarters anywhere. With various tools used from construction to farming scattered throughout other buildings, a centralized location for the tools was needed along with an actual headquarters. Howard B. McAfee, treasurer and superintendent of Park College Family, got it started in 1903 with Dr. D.K. Pearsons giving a pledge of $25,000 to the school as a friend of the family, with him asking for others to help donate an additional $75,000 for the project. The final total was raised by September of 1904 amounting to $100,000, half going to the endowment and the other half going to the new building's. Three buildings were planned with the money; a new home for Park College president, a new dormitory, and a headquarters for the work program. McAfee wasted no time and in October of the same year purchased two acres of land owned by a "Stubborn Dutchman". Part of this land became the site of the work department and construction started more or less immediately with stone quarried from the school itself to be used as the foundation and the schools lime kiln melt limestone down to be used as lime for the mortar. The bricks were sourced from elsewhere because the school didn't have the capability to make them. Work stopped in the winter but was resumed in vigor in April, 1905 with the swimming pool area done in May. Oddly enough the building had no name yet, but many were suggested around the area like "Industrial Hall", "Manual Training Hall", "The Workery", "Homanus Hall" (a Latin combination of human and work), or "The Hive". Labor Hall was the winner. Students did help build the hall but most of the work was done by skilled masons with the building superintendent Charles Patrick Breen overseeing the project. Labor hall was built in two sections with one section being two stories tall and having a waiting room, reading room, bath house with showers and lockers, and the headquarters of the work program on the first floor with the second having a gymnasium and finally the basement holding the tools needed for the work program. The second section was single story that held the fore-mentioned pool, a 30x60 foot pool at that. The pool ruffled some feathers due to it being extravagant but it was quickly pointed out that many students drowned in the Missouri River years before and could swim safer in the new pool. Labor Hall officially opened in September, 1905.

Park College maintained a work program for students but never had a headquarters for said program. With tools spread throughout campus it was decided that a central location was needed. Howard B. McAfee, family treasurer, spearheaded the project, which began in 1903 when Dr. D. K. Pearsons of Chicago offered an endowment of $25,000 and other donors gave $75,000. Work began in October 1904 and ended in completion April 1905. Today the building still stands but is used as a gym addition.

Labor Hall

The facility was dedicated in 2001. the two-domed facility houses the athletic department offices and provide courts for basketball, Volleyball, and indoor practice area for all sports. &lt;construction info&gt;

The facility was dedicated in 2001. The two-domed facility houses the athletic department offices and provides courts for facilities for all sports.

Donald J. Breckon Sports Center

Chesnut Hall opened in 1968 and formerly known as New Dorm serves as a residence hall for men and women. Chesnut Hall was renamed in 1987 in honor of the original Chesnut Hall that burned in 1955.&nbsp;

Opened in 1968 and formerly known as New Dorm, Chesnut Hall Serves as a residence hall for men and women attending Park University.

Chestnut Hall

The Charles Smith Scott Memorial Observatory on the Park University (College) campus is a prime example of the late 19th Century devotion to science and technology. Built in 1896 and constructed of limestone quarried on the college campus, the observatory was erected by student laborers. During the next three years it was outfitted with the finest equipment available for the buildings size. In 1903, Professor Mattoon took a sabbatical leave to study in England under the astronomers Sir Robert Ball and Professor Arthur Hinks. The construction of the observatory came under the active supervision of stone mason, Charles Patrick Breen. Born in Weston, Missouri in 1857, Breen began his apprenticeship at the age of 14 under his father, an Irish immigrant. in 1886, upon receiving employment at the nearby Quindaro Waterworks, C.P. Breen moved to Parkville. that same year, H.B. McAfee recruited him to oversee the construction of the McCormick Chapel and Mackay Hall. The Charles Smith Scott Memorial Observatory is a variation of the T Plan observatory building style designed as a teaching facility. In its&nbsp;prvious condition, the building's historical integrity was intact due to its location, setting, design and workmanship which convey feelings of and associations with its time period and areas of significance. Located on a hill at the highest point on the Park College campus in Parkville, Missouri approximately 158 feet above the railroad line on the Missouri River, the main two story domed tower was octagonal in shape with an adjoining one story 13*13 foot transit telescope ell/room with a barrel roof. Both are constructed of pitched face, random ashlar limestone, "pointed close" quarried and dressed on the college campus. Above the transit room was a wood frame stairwell enclosure with horizontal lap siding. The octagonal observation tower which houses the equatorial room was 15 feet 8 inches in diameter and rose to a height of 29 feet 4 inches. It was capped by a hand-tooled limestone plate, which carries the dome track, and copper ogee guttering which unites with the limestone plate to form a cornice. &lt;FIRE INFO&gt; &lt;NAMESAKE INFO&gt;&nbsp;

A year after Nickel Hall (1895) and the Westcott Building (1895) were finished. Work began on the Charles Smith Scott Observatory located on the hill behind Mackay Hall on the site of the present observation area. The stone was placed there by the students that did all the carpentry work. <what stone?>

Charles Smith Scott Observatory

Park colleges science departments benefited from the increase in new building and facilities during Dr. Hawley's presidency. In 1919 Mr. and Mrs. Wakefield pledged 35,000 dollars for the construction of the science building. &lt;info on the wakefields&gt; &lt;info on Findley&gt; &lt;information on earhart&gt;

Completed in 1924 houses the department of the natural and physical sciences. Like Biology Chemistry, Geography, Geology and physics. Departments now currently include athletic training information, computer sciences, mathematics and some nursing. The new Earhart Laboratory addition was dedicated in 1997.

Findley-Wakefield science Hall and Earhart Laboratory.

In 1887 Dr. John McAfee conceived of a dormitory for women that would be paid for by soliciting five-cent contributions/donations from local Sunday School children and others' estimating that each brick would be only the cost of a nickel. Though the campaign was interrupted several times (including the death of Dr. McAfee in June of 1891) it eventually took hold, with a small boost to help build it from a earlier donation that helped build another building on campus: Labor Hall (<a target="_blank" rel="nofollow" href="https://www.theclio.com/web/entry?id=31823)">https://www.theclio.com/web/entry?id=31823)</a>. Nickel Hall's cornerstone was placed down in 1894, with the building being completed by students and skilled labors in 1895. During a time frame between 1894 to 1946 it served as a women's dormitory and laundry for the campus. One of the donors was Ella Wright, sister of Laura Sheldon Wright, a missionary of the Cattaragus Reservation, who donated to the school. Throughout it's existence it has been site of many weird and incredibly silly/stupid things. A arsenic poisoning/attempted murder of Miss Flint, Mrs. Matthews, and John Porter by Hubert Fulkerson by arsenic laced&nbsp;muffins in 1957.The 50's through the 60's were when it was at the most strangest with the front door stolen by some women of Stephan Hall in the fall of 1960. The complete front porch was stolen by men of Copley Hall sometime in 1957 with zero noise and zero equipment, the same year with the poisoned muffins. Sadly the last "prank" was the end for Nickel Hall by a group of students from Chesnut Hall that caused irreparable damage to the structure by ripping the porch (again with the front entrance) from the building with a jeep and chain in December of 1967. The building was deemed unsound and in June of 1968 it was demolished in a controlled burn by the local fire department.

In 1887 Dr. McAfee had an idea of a dormitory for women paid for by donations, estimating each brick would be five cents each. After stalling several times the idea took hold and in 1895 the building was completed. It served as a women's dorm and laundry for campus until it was changed to a men's dorm in 1946. It had many completely strange things happen within its walls ranging from attempted murder to a entire front porch stolen in the dead of night with no equipment. Sadly, the building was destroyed by students from Chestnut Hall who compromised the structure with the removal of the front porch by jeep and chain. It was set on fire by the fire department to be razed in 1968.

Nickel Hall

Copley Quad is Park Universities newest residence hall, built in 2008 as part of the Parkville Campus Master Plan, it houses up to 250 students.  The dormitory sits in the same spot as Nickel Hall, a previous dorm on campus. If you are interested in further history of this location please see the Nickel Hall entry. 

Copley Quad Dormitory

The original Copley Hall was built as the result of a tragedy. The first dormitory, known as the Rock House, had stood for as long as the original school building and had housed roughly one hundred&nbsp;male students. &nbsp;On December twenty-ninth, 1883 the dormitory suffered from a fire in the roof and though the students formed a bucket brigade to combat the fire the building could not be saved, at the time President McAfee was back east attempting to raise money to purchase land that was put up for sale by George Park, to expand the college. After receiving letters explaining the situation from members of the college McAfee decided to stay east and attempt to raise the appropriate money to build a new dormitory. &nbsp;After the building was finished many names were put forward by students and faculty, many names coming from the various donors to the project, ultimately the name chosen came from McAfee himself citing a long standing friendship and supporter of the Park Family Program in the form of Josiah Copley. &nbsp; Josiah Copley was a member of the Board of Trustees of Highland University, from which President McAfee and the "Original Seventeen" students came to build Park College. He was a strong supporter of the family program that drove Park in its early years, trading farming and housework for education. &nbsp;Copley encouraged McAfee to strike out on his own and create a college around the fledgling program that started at Highland and lent support to the new college when he was able. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Mary Copley married William Thaw in 1867, an American businessman Thaw made his fortune by starting a shipping business using the Pennsylvania canal system, before investing heavily in the Pennsylvania Company Railroad. &nbsp;The Thaws philanthropy focused heavily on education and the arts and continued up until their deaths.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Copley-Thaw Hall was the result of a donation by Mary Copley Thaw, the daughter of Josiah Copley the namesake of the original Copley Dormitory.  Recognizing the need for larger living areas due to Parks expanding student population, Copley Thaw wished to name the new men's dormitory after her father and her husband, both charitable individuals.  The building now houses classes and teacher's offices as well as the campus newspaper and the broadcast center.     

Copley-Thaw Hall

&nbsp;After its construction the Alumni Hall served as one of the dining areas on campus, its kitchen able to serve one hundred and fifty students. &nbsp;Along with its use as a meeting place and alumni housing it also housed the Home economics and Art&nbsp;Departments for several years. &nbsp;The auditorium was used by the Alumni Association for its meetings and by the literary societies and Art Department, for exhibitions, presentations,&nbsp;and plays. &nbsp;On May 6, 1957 the Alumni Hall became the victim of arson and was burned beyond repair and had to be torn down, the only salvageable piece of the building were the arches which framed the southern patio, two of these now reside in the Mabee Underground in front of one of&nbsp;the University's exhibit spaces. &nbsp; The new Alumni Hall was almost funded in a month with a good portion of the funds coming directly from the alumni, its construction took only a year and the reaction to the new building was mixed with many alumni aggravated that their "beautiful hall was to be replaced with a 'box." &nbsp;The new Alumni Hall housed the Drama, Home Economics, and Art Departments as well as the campus theater.&nbsp;

The original Alumni Hall was conceived by the Park College alumni to serve as a place for reunions, housing for visiting alumni, and a meeting place for various campus organizations.  The plan was brought before the Park Board of Trustees under the conditions that the college would pay for the initial construction cost of $10,000 and the alumni would pay back the college with interest.  The Board was rightfully concerned about whether or not the alumni would be able to pay back the loan, but with the initial fund raising bringing in over $1,000, the Trustees felt their fears were relieved.  The Alumni Hall was finished in 1905, and lived up to the proposal that it would be "the handsomest building on campus."   

Alumni Hall

The McCormick chapel was built in 1887, and was used as a worship center for many years. After much wear and tear the building, a generous donation from MaryTyler as a memorial to her father, Graham Tyler, a man who had taken an interest in Park University, for the reconstruction of the chapel. With its old limestone look, the chapel had been built using old stone from the previous McCormick Chapel. The architect used the limestone to get the dynamic that Park University has. The new chapel was later named after him in his honor.  Christmas night, 1937, a fire broke out in the chapel, which consumed the entire building. Many valuable items burned in the fire including: furnishings, tapestry, stained glass windows, pipe organ costing $15,000, and a painting of The Last Supper. The building was rebuilt September 16th, 1938, with a $100,000 insurance and a gifts from Park alum and friends. This rebuilding also included the installation of a new pipe organ, and a wood carving of Leonardo da Vinci's, The Last Supper, carved by Alois Lang. This quick rebuilding exemplified Park Colleges amazing ties with its alumni, and friends. This new building was used mainly as a worship center, and music department, until the great acoustics were found to be a great tool for music students. The building was later used as the International Center of Music in 2003. The building is now used mainly for Park University's International Center for Music, and concerts, performances, as well as classes are now held here also.

The Graham Tyler memorial Chapel is a gothic architectural style building built in 1931 to replace the McCormick chapel, as well as to honor the late Graham Tyler who had taken a keen interest in Park. This building was rebuilt once due to a fire, and has rich history within its walls. The building was mainly used as a Presbyterian worship center, but with its amazing Acoustic sound, it later was converted for a musical center for students. 

Graham Tyler Memorial Chapel

The Park University Park House is one of the oldest buildings on the Park University campus. Originally built in 1917 with a donation&nbsp;from Ella Park Lawrence (the only child of Park University founder George Park) the White House was built to have the Park University presidents closer to the students. This building was also the only building that was moved&nbsp;&nbsp;This colonial style building consists of three floors, with one being a basement floor. The building was also one of the first buildings that Mrs. Hawley had designed herself. The Hawley's were also the first to live in this building.&nbsp;The building was built to replace the former president's residence, also known as "Sunset". The Sunset building located at 900 Main Street in Parkville, MO.&nbsp;This building currently houses the current Park University President.&nbsp;

The Park University Park House was built in 1917, by the architect Carl A. Listrom, and Mrs. Pauline Hawley. The building was built to bring the Park University president closer to the Park campus, and replace the former president's residence also known as "Sunset".This building is the home of the past Park presidents, from president Frederick Hawley, down to the present Park President. It currently houses the Park University president. 

Park University White House

&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;Formerly known as the Clinton Meetin' House, this building was built in 1932 after donations were received from the Francis Clinton family. Although, the name was later changed to the McCoy Meetin' House in 2002, named after Trustee Virginia B. McCoy who helped fund the remodeling. The Meetin' House was built to replace the Clinton Memorial YWCA hut (Y-hut), which had burned down the night&nbsp;before Thanksgiving, 1931. The Meeting' house has many historical characteristics from Park's history, including: the chandeliers were made from the wheels of the water&nbsp;cart that Old Kate had pulled, and a blue triangle emblem on the fireplace in remembrance of the old YWCA hut. Also in 1976 the original bell donated by the Burlington Railroad, had been replaced with the larger bell from the Mackay tower. The recreational building was used for many activities including: weddings, dinners, college receptions, lectures, political forums for senators, and classes. The building is now used for a wide range of activities for the university.&nbsp;

The McCoy Meetin’ House, built in 1932, is the only other bell tower besides McKay hall on the Park University campus. This building was built as a recreational center to replace the Clinton Memorial YWCA hut, which had burned down in 1931. The Meetin' house has seen many more renovations after being built. The most recent renovation in 2016 added a modern look to the interior of the lower level. The building was had many uses in the past ranging from hosting classes and dinners, to wedding receptions. The Meetin' House is currently used for many activities including: classes, meetings, and many Park University Activities. 
 

McCoy Meetin' House

the Park University Park Alumni House was originally built in 1845, and later bought by George S. Park. Although on the Park University campus, the building did not become school property until 1924.&nbsp;The former building had been worn down and had problems that needed fixing. Renovations for this building were spearheaded by Pauline Hawley. Adding her colonial style touch to the building, the Park House had more space and improved exterior, and interior. With the widening of the 9 Hwy in 1967,&nbsp;the building was later moved to where it is now. The house was used as a family home until converted into offices. It is presently used as a base office for the Park University Alumni Association.&nbsp;

The Park University Park Alumni House, originally built in 1845 and later bought by George Park in 1848, but was later renovated by Pauline Hawley. After renovations the building was also picked up and moved, in 1967, to where it is now. The Park House that was once used for living, is now used as office space for the Park University Alumni Association. 

Park University Park Alumni House

&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;In 1927 the Herr family of Mifflinburg, Pennsylvania. made up of&nbsp;Arthur, Mabel, Jesse, and Jane Herr, donated for a total of&nbsp;$100,000 to Park College to build a new dorm in memory of their brother who had passed September 9th, 1923, from&nbsp;an earthquake in Japan. The donation was set in bonds and a majority of them being listed upon the New York Stock Exchange, were selected carefully by Donald D. Herr personally. The architect Arthur G. McKee worked closely with the Park President, Dr. Frederick&nbsp;Hawley, to create a suitable building for the students. In 1927, building of Donald Davis Herr Memorial Hall was completed and along with another one of Park's historic buildings, the&nbsp;Thomson Commons building. The Herr memorial hall&nbsp;is a colonial styled building includes four floors as well as a basement floor, which is used as a storm shelter. The building once&nbsp;housed 103 women, and was also used as many of the colleges clubs and organizations meeting area. With the dormitory being an all women's dorm, it was later&nbsp;nicknamed "Herr House". In 2008, a new dormitory, Copley Quad, was built and the transition of turning Herr House into office space began. Now, Herr House offices Park University's Admissions, Global Education and&nbsp;Study Abroad, Office of International Students (OIS), and the&nbsp;Language Consultants International (LCI) Program.

The Donald Davis Herr Memorial Hall, also known as Herr house, was built in 1927 in memory of Donald Davis Herr, brother of Arthur, Mabel, Jesse, and Jane Herr, who donated $100,000 in memory of him. Donald had died three years before the donation in an earthquake in Japan. The building was initially used as a dorm for women, and housed many Park university clubs and organizations as well, until it was turned into office spaces, in 2008. 

Donald Davis Herr Memorial Hall

The Hawley Memorial Dormitory honored Park University's president Dr. Frederick Hawley, and his wife Pauline Hawley. The Hawley's made many improvements on the Park campus, including the building and remodeling of many of the buildings still standing today. The Hawley Memorial Dormitory was a dormitory that accompanied 95 students. Built in January of 1957, the building is one of the later built buildings&nbsp;of Park University. The buildings total cost was $325,000, and was built in less than a year. This colonial style building, with&nbsp;a limestone base, has four floors, and is one of the few buildings which was built using brick instead of the traditional Park University limestone. In 2010, the building was turned from a dormitory to office space and classrooms. This building now holds Park University's Social work, Criminal Justice, and Interior Design offices, as well as classrooms.

Hawley Memorial Dormitory was built in late 1950s to honor the past Park president Frederick William Hawley and his Wife Pauline Hawley. The Hawley's had invested a great deal to the improvement of the University that the building name was much deserved. It was first a Dormitory that held 95 students, but was later converted to classrooms, and offices in 2010. It is still used as office space and classrooms today. This building still stands.

Hawley Memorial Dormitory

New Woodward Hall Dormitory (1908). As mentioned earlier, old number one had been set for demolition in 1893. unwilling to see the landmark destroyed,the board of trustees voted to remodel the old hotel. it was renamed "Woodward Hall" in loving memory of Rev. George S. Woodward, an early pastor of the Parkville Presbyterian Church. the updated building served as the headquarters of the board of trustees as well as a dormitory for men and as a storage area. &lt; G. S. woodward info&gt; &lt;old #1 was a different building&gt; &lt;why is it not there anymore?&gt;

New Woodward Hall Dormitory (1908). As mentioned earlier, old number one had been set for demolition in 1893. unwilling to see the landmark destroyed,the board of trustees voted to remodel the old hotel. it was renamed "Woodward Hall" in loving memory of Rev. George S. Woodward, an early pastor of the Parkville Presbyterian Church. the updated building served as the headquarters of the board of trustees as well as a dormitory for men and as a storage area.
<it can't be mentioned earlier if it's the first sentence>

Woodward Hall

Sherwood House was named after Rev. EB Sherwood, a pioneer Presbyterian minister and a founder of the college. The house served as a female dormitory for students at Park University. Dr. McAfee started the project for Sherwood in August of 1890. The building was intended to be a female dormitory as it started as a home for boys. In 1891, alterations were made to the building and it was turned into a dormitory. The total cost for the construction of Sherwood was at $3,150. The dorm even&nbsp;held&nbsp;a parlor with a piano and large selection of literature, and was used to host social events. The money for the house was made up of gifts from many friends of the college and a large donation from the daughter of "Mrs. Sherwood" who was not related to Dr. Sherwood, but had an interest because of their shared name. On April 24, 1907, a fire started on the roof of Sherwood and was unable to be controlled causing the building to burn down. Twenty-four women lost their rooms and nearly everything they owned from the fire. Sherwood House was never rebuilt after the fire in 1907.

Sherwood House was built in 1890 as a home for boys, and was later renovated into a dormitory for female students at Park College.


Sherwood House

The cottage&nbsp;served as a memorial for the deceased son of&nbsp;Charles R. Stephens, a professor of Latin and Greek&nbsp;at Park College. The construction of the building was completed in 1895, and was then occupied by Professor Stephens and his wife. In 1940 a new cottage was built on the site and&nbsp;became a home for twenty-six women. Then, in 1946, it became an honor dorm for junior and senior female students. The women set a precedent permitting that they could live on a self-governing basis without a house mother, giving them more freedom. The structure of the one-story&nbsp;building was designed by J.C. Long, president of the board of trustees, and Dr. Young, Park College&nbsp;President, at an estimated cost of $7,500. The Stephen Cottage Honor Dorm was demolished in 1965.

The Stephens Cottage Honor Dorm was built in 1940. The dormitory housed female students of Park from 1946 through 1965.


Stephens Cottage Honor Dorm

The Thompson Commons was named after A. O. Thompson, President of the A. O. Thompson Lumber Company of Kansas City, who donated $75,000 dollars, in the memory of his son Phillip,&nbsp;for the construction of a new central dining hall where all of the campuses students could be served together. &nbsp;Before this time the campus had several kitchens and&nbsp;dining areas, with many of the dormitories serving the students that lived there. &nbsp;A communal dining area was central to the Presbyterian values and&nbsp;family type setting that the college tried to promote in its students, where everyone could come together in between classes, working in the fields and domestic chores. &nbsp;Thompson was well known for his annual dinners where he would invite a number of students to Kansas City to be his guests, before presenting them gifts of appreciation. &nbsp;Thompson was a member of the Board of Trustees and great supporter of the college.

The Thompson Commons was built in 1927, it originally housed the communal dining hall and a community room for study and entertainment. 

Thompson Commons Student Center

Colonel George Shepard Park and Dr. McAfee both contributed to the eventual development of Park College. The two men sought to create a pedagogy designed to educate young people of the American West. Park, born in 1811 in Vermont, taught in various schools in Ohio, Illinois, and Missouri. By 1835, Park found himself in Texas when its war for independence arose. He ultimately achieved the rank of Colonel, and he avoided death at the Alamo because he had left on a scouting mission. Park returned to Missouri in 1836 and purchased several tracts of land on the Missouri River abound in steamboat traffic. The area, named Parkville after its founder, was incorporated in 1844. However, he fled the area for Illinois in 1853 after his "free-soil" newspaper, The Industrial Luminary, angered pro-slavery residents, leading them to break into his printing plant and destroy his printing press. But, two years before he left, in 1851, he offered his Parkville hotel property as a location for a possible college campus. He hoped to develop a college that offered a combination of Christian teachings with practical lessons for those living in the American West. Finally, in 1875, Colonel Park met Reverend John A. McAfee; their meeting led to the establishment of "Park College for Training of Christian Workers."John McAfee, a Missourian born in 1831, graduated from Westminster College in 1859, which led him to several teaching positions. Additionally, despite possessing any formal theological training, he was ordained a Presbyterian minister and received an honorary degree of Doctor of Divinity from Westminster College. McAfee advocated self-help education principles, which consisted of students supporting themselves and financing their education with their own labor, which, in turn, provided them with practical lessons. While teaching at Highland University, his belief in self-help education stood in stark contrast to the administration's more traditional approaches. So, they forced McAfee to leave. But, he brought seventeen students with him to Parkville to form the new Park College with Colonel Park in 1875. Despite struggling financially during its first four years, Park College graduated its first five students in 1879, the same year the college officially incorporated. Dr. McAfee served as Park College's first president, a position he held until he died in 1890, one week after Colonel Park passed away. Dr. McAfee's five sons and one daughter all served for many years either in teaching or administrative work at the college.Much of the self-help principles were drawn from the administration's interpretation of the Bible. The college also designed a system to help impoverished families attend. Families needing assistance included work requirements, Bible study, attending religious services, and adhering to a Christian code of conduct. The Mackay Building provides a lasting example of the school's self-help philosophy. Duncan MacKay of Morrison, Illinois, agreed to pay for half the building costs, with the school and student labor providing for the other half. Nearly 300 students worked on the building under the direction of Master Builder Patrick Breen. Ground broke in 1886, and the crew laid the cornerstone in 1887. The construction process took seven years to complete, partially due to financial restraints but also because Park College students performed the arduous task of manually quarrying, transporting, and cutting the limestone used for the building. In 2000, Park University achieved university status and has now expanded to offer numerous types of degrees. Additionally, the institution currently serves roughly 17,000 students per year at thirty-nine campus centers in twenty-one states, including thirty-one campuses on military bases. But, Mackay Hall, which opened in 1893, still stands as the main campus' oldest existing building, serving as a reminder of its early history.

Park University's Mackay Hall, completed in 1893, is a product of the college's unique "self-help" educational philosophy; more than 300 students provided manual labor for seven years in constructing the building. The Hall also speaks to the town's history, notably its founder, Colonel Park. He donated the property for the college and helped, along with Dr. John McAfee, instill its educational philosophy, one intent on combining Christian teachings with pragmatic lessons targeted at youth living in the American West. Park College also proved to be a far more inclusive college than many others of its era; women students and two Native Americans were included among the college's first student body.

Mackay Hall

Parks first libraries were not official school libraries but belonged to the the literary societies from which students were able to check out books, the first of which was the Cheevers Library in the original Copley Dorm. &nbsp;Books were mainly acquired by donation, and the literary societies would have competitions to raise books and donations to expand their reading rooms. In 1900&nbsp;the books were moved into reading rooms in&nbsp;MacKay Hall, but they quickly ran out of space as more books were donated or purchased by the societies. &nbsp;Coming to the realization that they desperately needed&nbsp;a library Lowell McAfee, then Chairman of the Park College faculty, started correspondence with the Carnegie Foundation for a donation of $35,000 to build a library, this request was ultimately turned down. &nbsp;By 1904 Lowell had become the president of Park College and renewed his correspondence with the&nbsp;Carnegie Foundation in the hopes of receiving $35,000 for the library, they awarded Park $15,000 in 1905. &nbsp;In the hopes that they would acquire the remaining money from other sources the architects were instructed to construct the building "in such a way that future additions could be made without loss or marring of the architectural features of the building." &nbsp;The building was completed in 1908 with the help of student carpenters putting in window frames and student masons quarrying the stone, by 1915 the new President, Frederick Hawley set out to complete the library, but World War I and more important projects prevented it. &nbsp;1921 was a turning point for the library Hawley was finally able to petition the Carnegie Fund Executive Committee, and received $50,000 to complete the library.&nbsp; Construction began in 1922, and it is doubtful if any work was done by the students, many structures of the original building, the roof, windows, and floors, were replaced to match the new construction. &nbsp;The library was completed the next year and furniture was moved in for occupancy in April. &nbsp;Extensive renovations have been done through the years including the expansion of the second floor and the modernization of the amenities, in 1977 donations were solicited by the Friends of the Park College Library for the repair of the stained glass window over the front door, the funds were gathered and the and the window was repaired with the addition of a alumni panel added to it. &nbsp;By 1988 excavation of the underground had been completed and the new McAfee Memorial Library was completed and the books and equipment of the Carnegie Library were moved to the new library. &nbsp;The building would then be used as an&nbsp;office building housing the offices of admissions and financial aid, until the instability of some areas of the underground caused the the library to be moved back above ground in the&nbsp;summer of&nbsp;2016. &nbsp;2009 saw the launching of the "Windows of Opportunity,"&nbsp;when it was found that the windows were so poorly maintained that they desperately needed to be replaced, the campaign raised $336,500 from donations. &nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; Elmer Norrington was born in Parkville, Missouri on February 11,&nbsp;1898, and entered Park College in 1916. &nbsp;He was an active member of the Alumni Association and served on many councils raising money for the needs of the college. &nbsp;In 1956 he was selected as a member of the Board of Trustees and served for several terms and eventually was chosen as the chairman of the board. &nbsp;Norrington retired from the Board of Trustees in 1981 after serving for twenty years, but continued to give to Park until his death in 1983. &nbsp;As a last gift to the College, Elmer and his wife Rubye left $2.5 million to the college in an endowment fund. &nbsp;The official dedication of the Norrington Center was held on October 15, 1988, as part of the fall meeting of the Board of Trustees.&nbsp;&nbsp;

The building that would become Norrington Center started life as a library built with the help of the Carnegie Foundation in 1904. It has since seen an addition through a request to the Carnegie Foundation, a change in purpose, and a name change, but has since returned to being the Park University library.  The renovation of Norrington Center received an Excellence Award in the Contemporary Design in a Historic Context Category from the Historic Kansas City organization at its Preservation Awards.  

Norrington Center

Named in memory of the son of Dr. John A. McAfee and Mrs. Anna McAfee, the Samuel Poage McAfee Memorial Cottage was built in 1897 as one of the earliest buildings on campus. Nicknamed "Hilltop House" it served as home to the McAfee's until Mrs. McAfee's death in 1920, which it then became home to various other faculty families and staff members. Later on in life, 1967-68, it became a faculty clubhouse. It was razed in 1968 to make way for a purposed library, Norrington Hall.

Park University History Tour

Gillette Cottage (1886-1960)

Introduction

Images

Backstory and Context

Sources

Additional Information