Currier Hall Centennial Celebration honors campus’ oldest and still operating residence hall

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Thursday, November 6, 2014
Written by: Anne Bassett

WHAT: The University of Iowa’s first residence hall is celebrating a major milestone—100 years of housing and developing leaders and scholars.

Currier Hall was built in 1914 to address the shortage of housing at the UI for female students. It was named after Amos Noyes Currier and his wife, Celia Moore Currier. Amos served the university as professor, librarian, liberal arts dean, and interim president during his Iowa tenure in the second half of the 19th century. Celia taught mathematics and Latin. When it opened, Currier Hall provided housing to about 150 women. Today, it houses 618 students.

The Currier Hall Centennial Celebration will take place Sunday, Nov. 9, through Thursday, Nov. 13. A variety of events will be held nightly, including a fireside chat featuring family members of Amos and Celia Currier, historians, artists, and former staff and residents sharing their Currier Hall memories. The public and UI students, staff, and faculty are invited to participate in all the events, which are free.

For more information, visit housing.uiowa.edu/currier.

WHEN & WHERE:

  • Sunday, Nov. 9, 4 p.m.: Ice Cream Social
  • Monday, Nov. 10, 7 p.m.: Fireside Chat
  • Tuesday, Nov. 11, 8 p.m.: Bingo Night
  • Wednesday, Nov. 12, 8 p.m.: Sock Hop
  • Thursday, Nov. 13, 8 p.m.: Currier Centennial Celebration

All events will be held in the Currier Hall Multi-Purpose Room, 413 North Clinton Street.

BACKGROUND: Currier Hall was constructed on the east side of campus a century ago—at a cost of just over $150,000—to accommodate the increasing number of women enrolling at the UI. The original building was just the southeast portion of the current facility. Sections were added to the dormitory in 1927, 1939, and 1949. In 1965, a 10-story addition was planned to the west—a project that became Stanley Hall.

According to a 1918 pamphlet about Currier, “Rooms are lighted by electricity and, with the exception of those on the top floor, are supplied with hot and cold running water.” In 1966, breakfast was 65 cents, while lunch was 85 cents and dinner was a buck fifty.

Throughout the years, residents enjoyed a beauty parlor, a soda fountain, and formal evening meals—before which they would sing grace. Currier became coed in the 1970s, and today students have access to amenities that range from a fitness center to a baby grand piano.

Individuals with disabilities are encouraged to attend all UI-sponsored events. If you are a person with a disability who requires a reasonable accommodation in order to participate in this program, contact Carrie Kiser-Wacker in advance at 319-335-3000.