Morgan Hall

Morgan Hall, circa 1957

In the fall of 1957 male students moved into the newly constructed boys' dormitory located just north of the original boys' dorm. The building designed by Oswald Berg featured contemporary flat roof lines with extended window space in the dining room and lounge. Originally designed to house 114 men, an addition of a south wing in 1958 brought the number to about 300. In January of that year the dining hall in Donaldson Hall was closed and all campus residents were served meals from a new food service facility in the new dormitory.

Morgan Hall, circa 2004

The building was named Morgan Hall in honor of a longtime faculty member and interim President of the college in 1953, Dr. Ellsworth A. Morgan. Morgan had taught German at the college for 26 years and was well known for his work in the community. The building was attractively furnished in contemporary style. Cost of the building was estimated in 1961 at $1,050,000. Severe settling of the land in the northeast wing forced its closure in 1986 and some subsequent remodeling. The lobby area of the building was remodeled in the early 1990s to provide a non-denomination chapel space for the campus. Furnishings for the chapel were donated to the college by the Cowan family and had been stored for years in the attic of Donaldson Hall. An additional gift by the Cowan's to the Northern Foundation provided funds for the remodeling and the space was dedicated to Mrs. Anabelle Cowan.