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John H. Herrick Archives:
Documenting Structures at The Ohio State University

These "Explanatory Notes" were written by John H. Herrick to accompany his archives detailing the buildings and structures of The Ohio State University. They describe the history, scope, and structure of the archives, and explain how to read and interpret the individual building records. Use the links in the table of contents below to navigate to different sections of these notes.

EXPLANATORY NOTES

These explanatory notes are designed to assist the reader better to understand the information included in the individual building reports, and particularly to understand the limitations of the information reported.

It is urged that anything more than casual reference to these reports be preceded by a careful reading of these explanatory notes.

These explanatory notes are organized as follows:

1. General Comments

1.1 Inception of the Project
1.2 Building Numbers
1.3 Coverage of Reports
1.4 Completeness and Accuracy of Reports
1.5 Addenda to Reports
1.6 References to Sources
1.7 Indexes
1.8 Distribution of Reports

2. Content of Reports

2.1 Building Names
2.2 Building Addresses and Maps
2.3 General Descriptions of Buildings
2.4 Planning and Construction Infonmation
2.5 Dates of Completion and Occupancy
2.6 Relocations of Buildings
2.7 Demolitions
2.8 Costs
2.9 Photographs
2.10 Miscellaneous

1.General Comments

1.1 Inception of Project

As a part of the centennial effort in 1970, the Division of Campus Planning (now the Office of Campus Planning and Space Utilization) and the Publications Division of the Office of University Development (now the Office of Public Affairs) collaborated in the publication of a brochure entitled "The Ringing Grooves of Change." The document dealt in broad strokes with the physical development of the University, and included maps showing campus boundaries and buildings at 25 year intervals.

The interest generated in the preparation of this centennial publication led to the decision to proceed with the preparation of three historical source books, as follows:

1. A compendium of facts about University buildings including insofar as possible every building that has been on the property of the University since its acquisition by the University, now to be called "OSU Campus Buildings."
2. An historical atlas including all available campus maps, now to be called "OSU Historical Maps." This will be a collection of maps in a flat file, and an accompanying volume of annotations.
3. A list of references and source documents with respect to previous campus planning efforts, now to be called "OSU Campus Master Plans."

The compendium is designed to bring together in one place the principal facts relative to the history of the construction, relocation and removal of all existing and former buildings on University property in Franklin County. Branch campuses and other facilities outside the county are not included.

1.2 Building Numbers

Building Code Numbers

The key to both the use and the expansibility of the publication is the system of building code numbers. Each building has its unique code number which will identify the initial report and all addenda. The same code numbers will be used on all maps accompanying this compendium. All initial reports and addenda will be indexed by these building numbers, and cross references will use the same code.

Originally, these code numbers followed a rational scheme, but so many exceptions had to be made that the user of these reports is advised to use these numbers as a purely arbitrary code numbers.

In most cases, the numbers without a prefix are the same as those currently used in the records of the Office of Campus Planning and Space Utilization, but this is not always the case. The exceptions are appropriately noted in the reports, and the reader can usually find the appropriate building report by entering Appendix A with whatever building number he has at hand. The one exception is that some of the early building numbers used by Campus Planning (before September, 1968) could not be found, and therefore could not be included in the indexes.

[See Addendum No. 5]

1.3 Coverage of Reports

An attempt has been made to discover and report every building that has been on University land in Franklin County from the founding of the University in 1870 through 1979 -- a period of 110 years. Leased buildings and buildings outside the county are merely listed and indexed as an aid to future users of these reports.

Each report attempts to cover major facts such as name, location, type of building, planning and construction, dates of completion and demolition, etc, and to cite one or more photographs which the reader can locate.

Many interesting facts relative to costs, uses and occupants of the bui1ding,and unusual historical events related to the building are not included, except where possible with little commitment of additional time for investigation.

1.4 Completeness and Accuracy of Reports

The basic list of bui1dings has been compiled from the following sources:

1. The records of the Division of Campus Planning.
2. The minutes of the Board of Trustees from 1870 to the present time.
3. References to buildings encountered in maps, drawings, publications, and other sources consulted during the preparation of the reports on buildings found in Items 1 and 2 above.
4. Photographs in the Photo Archives collection of approximately 250,000 items.

These sources do not assure completeness, especially with respect to former buildings. This is particularly true of barns and other non-academic structures. In some instances, especially in the early decades of the history of the University, authority to build such structures was delegated to the Executive Com\-mittee of the Board of Trustees, and no details have been found. In other cases, farm labor was used, and neither Board minutes nor records in the Office of the University Architect provide any clues.

Many houses and other structures on land purchased for campus expansion have undoubtedly been missed in the preparation of the compendium.

Unfortunately, the author cannot be as certain of the accuracy of these reports as he would like to be. Limitation of time and the ever-present possibility of sudden termination of work on the project on account of advanced age led to the conclusion that it would be better to push toward completion of the total project without taking time to check the final report against the original sources.

Typists were urged to check all figures against the handwritten copy, but with a half dozen or more typists over a ten-year period, it cannot be assumed that this was always done or always done accurately.

Checking the typed copy against the original handwritten copy is no longer possible, because many of the handwritten reports were lost in moving the offices from Lincoln Tower to the Administration Building.

Within the past few months, all typed reports have been carefully read by the author and all questionable items have been checked. Regrettably, the author has concluded that this checking and the proofreading by typists must suffice.

The same time limitations and uncertainties account for the sketchy nature of the information on use of the buildings and other miscellaneous information, and to the exclusion of buildings outside Franklin County.

1.5 Addenda to Reports

The time limitations, a strong desire to include as complete a list of buildings as possible, and other considerations led to the conclusion that each building report should be written as soon as sufficient information was assembled to permit a reasonable report, and to use addenda to fill in gaps and make corrections in the reports.

This procedure resulted in considerable saving of time. Missing details, which would have taken many hours or days to find at the time of writing the original report, were often found incidentally while investigating some other building.

Since each addendum is dated and identified as to authorship, it is quite feasible for some future inves\-tigator to supply additional information in later addenda. If this should be done, the authorship and date of each later addendum should be noted. If such later addenda should report additional information with respect to names or addresses of buildings, changes in the indexes would also be required.

1.6 Reference to Sources

In most instances, when sources are cited, the citation is given in coded form in parentheses. The following code symbols are used:

A	-- Files of the University Architect.
B	-- Annual financial reports of the Business Office. The latest and final report in this series carries the title "Financial Report of The Ohio State University, Exhibits A to D, Schedules A to L, for the Year Ended June 30,1975."
Cent. Hist.	-- Histories prepared by all departments and other units for the 1970 centennial. These are on file in the University Archives.
Cope	-- Cope, 'Alexis, 1870-1910, Volume I of History of The Ohio State University edited by Thomas C. Mendenhall, Columbus: Ohio State University Press, 1920.
F	-- Records of the Residence Halls Food Service.
H	-- Records of the Residence Halls Housing office.
Hooper	-- Hooper, Osman Castle, Continuation of The Narrative from 1910 to 1925. Volume II of History of The Ohio State University edited by Thomas C. Mendenhall. Columbus: Ohio State University Press, 1926.
L	-- The Ohio State Lantern, including the few issues known as the Wahoo.
M	-- The publication of the Ohio State University Assn., currently known as The Ohio State University Monthly. It was formerly called The Ohio State University Quarterly.
McC	-- McCracken, William C., The History of the Physical Plant of The Ohio State University. Columbus: (The Author), 1942-47. A typewritten history of four volumes published in 1942, 1945, 1947, and 1947, respectively. Only two copies are known to be in existence, one in the files of the Division of Campus Planning and Space Utilization and the other in the University Archives.
Med I	-- The Ohio State University College of Medicine --a Collection of Source Material Covering a Century of Progress, 1834-1934. Blanchester, Ohio: Brown Publishing Co., 1934.
Med II	-- Hudson, N. Paul, ed., The Ohio State University College of Medicine, Volume II, 1934-1958. Columbus, Ohio: The Ohio State University, 1961.
OL	-- Session laws adopted by the Ohio General Assembly.
P	-- Records of the Office (formerly Division) of Campus Planning and Space Utilization, earlier called the Office of University Plant Studies, and then the Office of Campus Planning.
PP	-- Records of the Department of Physical Plant.
R	-- Annual reports of the Board of Trustees, the President and other university officials. These reports under various titles are collected and bound by years in the University Archives.
Ra	-- A collection of golf course records retrieved by the author from Gary A. Rasor, assistant superintendent of the golf course. These deal largely with the period of golf course construction, but some items run back to the early 1930's and others are dated in the 1950's. They are now deposited in the University Archives.
T	-- Minutes of Board of Trustees.

The code symbol "T" is frequently used for the bid date on a project. A bid date so indicated is usually found in the Board of Trustees minutes at the date of award of contracts or the report of contract awards.

In all coded references, the page number, if given, follows the colon after the reference code.

In some instances, the source is indicated in parentheses without the use of any code symbol.

When reference is made to Board of Trustees action, the source is the minutes of the Board of Trustees for the date indicated.

1.7 Indexes

These building reports are indexed in detail in three appendixes as follows:

Appendix A - A listing by building number, including under each building number all of the names found for that building.

Appendix B - An alphabetical listing of all buildings by building name, using all of the alternate names found. Each name in the list Is followed by the appropriate building number.

Appendix C - An alphabetical index by street address. Each entry is followed by the building number or numbers at that address.

In the many cases where no street address was ever used, or was not found, an address has been arbitrarily assigned for indexing purposes. In these instances, the street number is followed by an asterisk.

1.8 Distribution of Reports

These reports have been distributed to the campus offices known to have frequent need for the information in the reports. These Include Archives, Photo Archives, Campus Planning, Main Library, Universfty Architect, Physfcal Facilities, and several offices responsible for preparation of news releases and University publications.

[See Addendum No. 1, 3, 4]

The University Archives has a 'master copy of these reports on archival paper. By arrangement with the University Archivist, this copy can be used for the reproduction of additional copies of the reports or any part thereof.

2. Content of Reports

2.1 Building Names

Every name encountered in the records and maps examined has been included. Among them are popular names used by students, misspelled names, and names obviously In error, as well as official names approved by the Board of Trustees.

The purpose of including erroneous and questionable names is to make the report of maximum usefulness to a future investigator. If he should encounter a questionable or Incorrect building name, he should be able to find the appropriate building report by using such name to enter the Index in Appendix B.

The list of building names, wbile extensive, Is no doubt incomplete, since many records in the University Archives and elsewhere have not been examined.

2.2 Building Addresses and Maps

Locations and addresses of existing buildings are taken from records in the Office of Campus Planning and Space Utilization whenever possible.

Locations of former buildings are taken from old maps which have been collected for the "OSU Historical Maps" project, from McCracken's four volume history, and from plot plans of new buildings which frequently show buildings to be removed or foundations of buildings removed at an earlier date.

Each building report "includes a street address, either actual or arbitrarily assigned, and in most cases an area map showing the general location of the building. These are maps generally on the first page of the building reports. Many of these area maps were made from Maps 197-26 and 197-27 in the collection of maps to be used for the "OSU Historical Maps" project. These two maps were made specifically for this purpose.

In some cases, special area maps were drawn on the basis of old maps and other records available.

Many of the building reports refer to a sheet or sheets of "maps in the book of campus maps in the University Archives." These are maps maintained by the Office of Campus Planning and Space Utilization for its own use, and are revised from time to time as required. Each map covers an area 1,000 feet square, and is drawn to a scale of 80 feet to the inch. In many instances, several revisions of the same sheet are included in the collection in the University Archives. In the end, more than 400 sheets of these maps will be included in the collection deposited in the University Archives. This will require that "the book" be broken down into several parts. These parts are entitled "Book of Campus Maps" and are clearly identified as the "book of campus maps" referred to in the building reports.

In some building reports, reference is made to maps in the collection assembled for the "OSU Historical Maps" project. These are referred to by a five-digit, hyphenated number. The first three digits indicate the decade, and the last two are the number of the map within that decade. Thus, Map 194-10 would be the tenth map in the 1940-49 decade.

These maps are in a ten-drawer blueprint file (flat), with a wooden case on top for oversized maps. They are now in the Office of Campus Planning and Space Utilization, and are scheduled to go ultimately to the University Archives.

[See Addedum No. 2]

2.3 General Description of Buildings

Information in the reports under this heading for existing buildings is taken from the following sources:

1. Type of construction--from files of the Office of Campus Planning and Space Utilization supplemented or revised in some cases by field inspection or records of the University Architect.
2. Number of stories--from files of the Office of Campus Planning and Space Utilization, sometimes revised on the basis of field investigation.
3. Increments of construction--based chiefly on drawings in the files of the University Architect, Board of Trustees minutes, and other sources as indicated. Some minor additions constructed by University employees have undoubtedly been missed.
4. Building area--based on files of the Office of Campus Planning and Space Utilization.
5. Building volume--data supplied by Mr. Glenn Haney, formerly an engineer in the Physical Plant Department.

For buildings no longer in existence, similar descriptive information has been included when possible. Sources are indicated in the text.

Square footage and cubage figures permit only general comparisons of building sizes, because of lack of standardization of formulas for calculating square feet and cubic feet in a building.

2.4 Planning and Construction Information

1. All references to Board of Trustees action are based on Board of Trustees minutes for the dates indicated.
2. Names of architects are from drawings or other documents in the files of the University Architect, or from Board minutes.
3. Bid dates, when given, are from the files of the University Architect or from Board of Trustees minutes, usually in the minutes in which the award of contracts is recorded.
4. Dates of contract awards and names of contractors are from Board of Trustees minutes for dates indicatea, or in a few cases from the contract documents on file in the University Architect's office. Information relative to award of contracts by others (e.g., Cabinet) are, unless otherwise indicated, from Board of Trustees minutes. usually for the date indicated for Board of Trustees approval of the award.
   Technically, the University's action in approving or awarding contracts is in most instances only advisory, with the actual award of contracts made at some later date by some other state official or agency. Currently, for example, such contracts are let by the Director of Public Works.
5. 5. Information relative to the beginning of construction, if given, is from sources as indicated. Dates of beginning of construction are usually not included in official University records. Among the available clues are:
   
   5.1 Construction usually starts soon after Board action awarding contracts, but there are instances when the beginning of construction has preceded action by the Board of Trustees.
   
   5.2 The date of execution of construction contracts may be indicated in some instances. However, it is common for contractors to proceed on the basis of a letter of intent or other notification of their selection, without awaiting the preparation and signing of the formal contract documents. If contract dates are given, the source of the information is indicated.
   
   5.3 The date of a groundbreaking ceremony is sometimes given, with the source indicated. Such ceremonies are usually, but not always, scheduled reasonably close to the date of beginning of construction, but contractors generally proceed with their work without .regard to the date of a groundbreaking ceremony.

2.5 Date of Completion and Occupancy

This date is probably the most frequently sought historical information regarding a building, and the most difficult to supply. The problem of supplying this date arises from two facts:

1. The date of completion and occupancy is usually not a matter of official record in the Board minutes or other University records.
2. There is no one definition of date of completion that is universally acceptable.

In these reports, the following clues and sources have been used:

1. Date of substantial completion. This date is often available in the files of the University Architect, and sometimes in the Board of Trustees minutes. It is the date at which the contractor's work is sufficiently done to entitle him to receive the major portion of the remaining money due him.
   The date of substantial completion is often not the same for all contractors on a building. There are usually minor work and final adjustments to be made by the contractor after the date of substantial completion.
   Actual occupancy of all or part of a building may either precede or follow the date of substantial completion.
2. The date of formal acceptance of a building by the Board of Trustees is indicated in a few instances. This action is apt to be taken some weeks, or even months, after substantial completion or occupancy of the building, since its purpose is to clear the way for final payments to contractors.
3. In some instances, dates of "final estimates" are reported. These are reports prepared by the architect to indicate the final payments due the contractors. They may be dated some weeks or months after the occupancy of the building. In some cases they may be prepared and dated in advance and then held until contractors have satisfactorily completed their work.
4. The date of actual occupancy is another indication of date of completion, but it too has its defects. The building may be occupied in stages as different sections are substantially completed. In one instance (Building 053) it appears that one laboratory in the uncompleted building was used for one quarter only and then returned to the contractors for completion of their work.
   The date of occupancy is not ordinarily recorded in the Board minutes or the records of the University Architect which are retained, and it is necessary to consult other sources such as annual reports, correspondence, or the Lantern. These are frequently inconclusive or inaccurate as to the exact date of occupancy.
5. In recent years, the policy has been for the Office of Campus Planning and Space Utilization to issue space assignments before occupancy of new space occurs. However, in some cases the actual occupancy occurs first either by oral agreement between Campus Planning and the occupants or because of unauthorized prior occupancy.
6. In recent years, the initial assignments by Campus Planning are preceded by a letter of release from the University Architect. These letters frequently precede the full completion of work by the contractors. In some cases, they are delayed for some time for one reason or another.

2.6 Relocation

In a few instances, buildings have been moved to a new location on or off the campus. These have been reported on the basis of the best information available, and sources are cited in the reports.

2.7 Demolition

Information relative to demolition of buildings has been obtained from Board of Trustees minutes in many instances, but demolition of minor structures is usually not included in the minutes. In many instances, an oral report from the Physical Plant official responsible for the demolition has been used.

2.8 Costs

Costs of buildings have been reported only if readily available. Such figures as are given, however, should be used with caution, since it is not known what items are included. In order to make these costs comparable, it would be necessary to know whether they include such items as site preparation; sidewalks, p1antings, and other site improvements; equipment purchase and installation; architects' and other fees; etc.

2.9 Photographs

The original intent was to include in this compendium a photograph of each building. This was abandoned because of the time and expense involved.

Reference is made to a sufficient number of photographs, usually in Photo Archives, to establish the identity of each building covered.

2.10 Miscellaneous

This category includes information incidentally encountered regarding building use, interesting historical anecdotes, and the like. Because of time limitations, no systematic effort has been made to find such information.

December 31, 1979
John H. Herrick

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