Overview

Wilson Hall's plan was duplicated by Campus Architect Rudolph Weaver in his design for the Mechanic Arts Building, renamed in 1949 as "Carpenter Hall." Weaver Hall was the earlier building and had a grand stair hall completed, unlike its later twin. Economic exigencies after World War I made money scarce for use in Washington university buildings during the balance of the 1920s. This impecunity worsened under the leadership of Governor Roland Hartley (1864-1952), who targeted the building programs of the state's universities for cost-cutting during the mid-1920s.

Building History

The State College of Washington originally honored the Scotsman James Wilson (1835-1920), the longest serving cabinet member in US history, who held his post as Secretary of Agriculture during the Administrations of Presidents McKinley, Roosevelt, and Taft from 1897 until 1913. Wilson, an Iowa state legislator, became a Professor of Agriculture and Regent at the land-grant Iowa State University in Ames, IA, during the 1870s and 1890s. He was elected to the US House of Representatives from Iowa in 1872 and won a highly contested election in 1882, before returning to teaching at Ames. He was named Secretary of Agriculture by President William McKinley, and became an advocate for food-processing business interests. A dormitory was also named in his honor at Iowa State.

Washington State University administrators renamed the building "Wilson-Short Hall" on 09/18/2009, to honor the renowned sociologist, James Franklin Short, Jr., (1924-2018).

Building Notes

Alteration

The building's top floor was completed in 1920, although it had been in use since at least 1917.

PCAD id: 22465