Wilson Hall (Miami University)
{{short description|Dormitory building in Oxford, Ohio, USA}}
{{Infobox building
| name = Wilson Hall
| image = Wilson Hall MU.jpg
| image_alt =
| caption = Wilson Hall in 2010
| former_names = The Pines
| map_caption = Location within Ohio
| building_type = Dormitory
| cost = {{US$|110,000.00}}
| owner = Miami University
| current_tenants =
| location_country = United States of America
| coordinates = {{coord|39|30|35.7|N|84|43|36.2|W|region:US-OH|display=inline}}
| start_date = 1925
| inauguration_date = June 16, 1986
| floor_area = {{convert|19667|sqft|abbr=on}}
| architectural_style = Georgian Architecture
| architect = J. Wespiser
}}
Wilson Hall, also known as The Pines, was a dormitory building on the campus of Miami University in Oxford, Ohio. Built in 1926 and known before 1986 as "The Pines," The building was originally an annex to a sanatorium known as The Oxford Retreat, and was sold to the university in 1936 for use as a women's dorm. The hall rotated between a men's and women's dorm for most of its existence. The building became disused during the 2015-16 school year, and the university finalized plans in February 2019 to demolish the building that summer to create green space.
History
The building that became Wilson Hall was originally part of The Oxford Retreat, a private hospital "for the treatment of mental and nervous diseases, alcoholic, and narcotic inebriety".{{Cite book
| title = The Oxford Retreat, Oxford Ohio
| url = https://archive.org/details/annualreportofph1893oxfo
| publisher = C.J. Krehbiel and Co.
| location = Cincinnati}}
The main building, which later became Fisher Hall, was torn down in 1979, and was replaced by the Marcum Hotel and Conference Center. Built in 1926, the annex to the hospital was known as "The Pines," and was set apart from the main building to house women who were not only affected mentally, but who also had “nervous disorders, alcoholic, or narcotic addiction”.{{Cite book
| title = The Oxford Retreat, Oxford Ohio
| publisher = The Albertype Co.
| location = Brooklyn, N.Y}}
The fireproof building consists of native blue limestone with a red tile roof. After Miami bought the main building of The Oxford Retreat in 1925, The Pines became the main and only building used by the sanatorium.
= Acquisition by Miami =
During the expansion of Miami University, The Pines became of interest to include in Miami’s campus, and the university signed a contract for the annex building and other residences on the property on July 17, 1936.{{Cite book
| title = Contract of Lease and Purchase: The Pines
| location = Oxford Ohio
| date = July 7, 1936 }}
The large building was to be used “as a dormitory for seventy students”.{{Cite book|title=Annual Reports of the President, the Deans, and other officers: Miami University|date=1936–1937|location=Oxford, Ohio}}
The residence that was included in the purchase belonged to the family of Dr. Harvey Cook, the son of the founder of The Oxford Retreat. Cook rented the estate from the university until his death, and it is now occupied by campus offices.
= Usage =
After $20,025.94 of remodeling, the building, still known as The Pines, began to house students. The building changed frequently from all female to all men’s dorms through the years, serving as a women's dorm from 1936 to 1939, 1941-1942, 1960 to 1971, and during the late 1970s and early 1980s. The building housed men for the 1940-41 school year, from 1946-1960, and for the fall semester of 1971.{{Cite book
| title = Building Inspection for City of Oxford
| location = Oxford, Ohio}}
Since then, the building operated as a co-ed dorm, though The Miami Student reported that the building had not been occupied since the 2015-16 school year.{{Cite web|url=http://miamistudent.net/allegedly-haunted-95-year-old-wilson-hall-will-be-demolished-this-summer/|title=Allegedly "haunted," 95-year-old Wilson Hall will be demolished this summer|date=2019-04-08|website=The Miami Student|language=en-US|access-date=2019-04-09}}
From 1942 to 1946, the Navy Training School (NTS) that operated at Miami used the building as housing for their radio operator trainees.{{Cite book
| title = Miami University Bulletin
| location = Oxford, Ohio
| date = June 1946}}
The US Navy was not the only group to take advantage of the space Miami’s campus had to offer. In 1945 two professional baseball teams, the Columbus Red Birds and the Rochester Red Wings used the Pines for spring training.{{Cite book
| title = Residence Hall Renamed to Honor Charles Ray Wilson
| publisher = Press Release
| location = Oxford, Ohio
| date = June 16, 1986}}
= Namesake =
= Plans for demolition =
In 2010, Miami's Physical Facilities department surveyed the university's 41 dormitories and designated the building "higher risk" due to its perceived nature as a fire hazard. The university's Campus Planning Committee approved the building's demolition in February 2019, and planned to replace the building with green space, noting that there was no need for dormitories with smaller capacities like Wilson due to the recent construction of larger, 4-story dormitories. Two students on the committee voiced concerns regarding Miami's perceived "underlying problem with demolishing old buildings," citing the demolition of two century-old dormitories over the last four years.
References
{{Reflist}}
{{Miami University}}
Category:Buildings and structures of Miami University
Category:University and college residential buildings in Ohio