Scholes Hall | |
 Scholes Hall in 2010 | |
   | |
| Location | University of New Mexico Albuquerque, New Mexico |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 35°05′07″N106°37′25″W / 35.08532°N 106.62357°W /35.08532; -106.62357 |
| Built | 1936 |
| Architect | John Gaw Meem |
| Architectural style | Pueblo Revival |
| NRHP reference No. | 88001545[1] |
| NMSRCP No. | 388[2] |
| Significant dates | |
| Added to NRHP | September 22, 1988 |
| Designated NMSRCP | June 20, 1975 |
Scholes Hall is the historic administration building of theUniversity of New Mexico, located on the main campus inAlbuquerque. It was the first of many buildings designed for the university bySanta Fe architectJohn Gaw Meem, who helped to cement thePueblo Revival style as the "official" architecture of the campus. Built in 1934–36 withPublic Works Administration funding, it is regarded as one of Meem's most notable designs.[3]: 65
It is listed on theNew Mexico State Register of Cultural Properties[2] and theNational Register of Historic Places,[1]
It is named forFrance Vinton Scholes (1897–1979), who was an American scholar and historian noted for his research on the history of New Spain, especially Spanish Yucatan and Southwestern United States.
Scholes Hall was the first of three major UNM buildings built in the 1930s under the direction of PresidentJames Fulton Zimmerman (1887–1944) and designed bySanta Fe architectJohn Gaw Meem.[4] Meem had been introduced to Zimmerman byJohn J. Dempsey, a member of the Board of Regents who was a mutual acquaintance. The university had a pressing need for more space, and Meem was commissioned in 1933 to design a new administration building even though no funding was available. Much of the design work was already complete when the university finally secured aPublic Works Administration grant to pay for the building in August 1934.[3]: 70–72
Meem's plans were approved in November 1934, and construction began the following month. Due to the tight budget, cheaper materials had to be substituted in some cases and ornamentation was kept to a minimum. The building was completed in January 1936 and cost $260,000.[3]: 307 It originally housed classrooms, laboratories, and theMaxwell Museum of Anthropology as well as administrative offices, but was gradually converted entirely to office space during the 1950s and 60s.[5]: 55–56 It still houses the university's main administrative offices.
In 1948, theship's bell from theUSS New Mexico was installed in one of the bell towers.[6] It was moved to its own freestanding tower near Smith Plaza in 1964.[7]
Scholes Hall was listed on theNew Mexico State Register of Cultural Properties in 1975[2] and theNational Register of Historic Places in 1988.[1]
Scholes Hall is an example of thePueblo Revival style for which Meem was best known, drawing inspiration from New Mexico's traditionaladobe architecture with stepped massing, battered walls and parapets, and projectingvigas. In particular, Meem's design was modeled after the 1692San Estevan Del Rey Mission Church atAcoma Pueblo.[3] The building is H-shaped, with a symmetrical, three-story central block, bell towers, and asymmetrical two-story wings. The walls are brick andstructural clay tile stuccoed to look likeadobe.[5]: 12 The central block has aportal orportico with wooden columns,corbels, and vigas, symmetrical groupings of 6-over-6sash windows, and a third-floorbalcony with wooden corbels and railings. The wings have faux vigas and precast concretespandrels decorated withArt Deco Native American designs on the east and west sides, and doorways with carved wooden ornamentation on the north and south sides.[5]: 55–56
The building originally served as aterminating vista for Terrace Street, which ended in a circular driveway at the intersection with Ash Street. When the campus was closed to vehicular traffic in the 1970s, the streets were replaced with a grassy landscape called Ash Mall.[3]: 72
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