Elegant and modern in its early days, Murray Hall housed OSU female students for most of 50 years, from 1934 until 1984 when OSU shut the doors of the no-longer-fashionable residence hall. In its heyday, Murray’s central campus location, spacious parlor and welcoming veranda made it a natural host for dance hour and other socials. Many OSU women called it “home.” The days when residents challenged their 8 p.m. lock-down — lowering buckets out the windows for hamburgers from a local eatery or scooting in the front door just as the chimes rang — belong to the past, along with curfews and the popularity of traditional residence halls. But memories are another matter entirely, and for several generations of students Murray Hall remains a vital part of the OSU experience, a physical link to the university’s past. “No one wanted to tear down the beautiful old building,” says Tom Wikle, associate dean of the College of Arts and Sciences and a member of the Murray planning committee. “Murray, which was used for storage after closing, entered a period of neglect, but no funds were available for restoration. By the time a statewide bond issue passed in 2005, renovating Murray Hall was a university priority.” With partial funding of $8.8 million from the Oklahoma Higher Education Capital Bond Program, OSU officially launched a $23.8 million project in fall 2007 to resurrect Murray Hall. The renovation will turn the stately old residence into classrooms and offices for six departments in the College of Arts and Sciences. Respectful change When its transformation is complete in spring 2009, “Murray will once again be a state-of-the-art facility that fits in well with campus needs today and in the future,” says Mike Buchert, director of long-range facilities planning. The building will be more efficient with new windows and new mechanical and electrical systems, and it will be fully accessible to the disabled. Buchert predicts these additions to Murray’s already excellent structure will extend the building’s functional life 50-plus years. There will be changes, such as the addition of a 150-seat theater classroom and terrace on the west side of the building, but he says the neo-Georgian approach by architects PSA-Dewberry, the firm that renovated Willard Hall, will keep Murray elegant and functional. The architects have taken special care to restore original entrances, wood floors and the parlor. Alumni who are troubled by the renovation can be confident they will recognize Murray Hall, Wikle says. “Maintaining Murray’s historical integrity was a concern of the planning committee, and the architects have felt strongly about retaining some of the really significant elements. “We don’t want it changed too much. We love the look of it right now.” During WW II, OSU turned over Murray Hall to the U.S. Navy. The WAVES contingent training at OSU relax in Murray’s reception area. (Centennial Histories Series) qWhen Murray Hall opened in 1934, it brought a new degree of opulence to the OSU campus. (Centennial Histories Series) continues next page Building for the future OSU Special Collections OSU Special Collections Oklahoma State University 13 Murray Hall Transforms the College
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