| Fairbanks Hall was the second building constructed at O.A.C, built just three years after Benton Hall. It was then named Cauthorn Hall, after Senator Thomas Cauthorn, who helped secure funds from the state legislature to construct the dormitory. The building was originally a men’s dorm, housing 75 male students. Cauthorn was converted to a women’s dormitory in 1912, however the women had to move out at the start of World War I to make room for the student army training corps. Women once again occupied the dormitory at the completion of the war.
The building’s first name change came in 1927 when the College opted to rename the building Kidder Hall, in honor of Ida Kidder, O.A.C.’s first professional librarian, who passed away that year. Though it was a popular dormitory, low enrollment during the Depression forced its closure in 1931.
In 1935, the building was renovated to provide classroom and office space for the College. Formerly scattered across various campus buildings, the Art Department found a permanent home in Kidder Hall. Other departments that moved into Kidder included the departments of Modern Language, History, and Architecture. The attic was renovated as a gymnasium to serve as a space for physical education instruction.
The building’s name was changed again in 1964, attaining the title Fairbanks Hall. This name honored Professor J. Leo Fairbanks, a renowned artist and chairman of the OSU Art Department. Not only has the name continued on to today, but the Art Department still occupies much of the space in Fairbanks Hall. There are three galleries in the building – Fairbanks Gallery, West Gallery, and a basement exhibit space in Art Underground, a student lounge for OSU art majors. |
