Mendenhall Laboratory
Dr. Thomas C. Mendenhall, a professor of physics and mechanics, was one of the first seven professors at the University when it first opened in 1873.
The laboratory was originally constructed for the Department of Physics. On April 5, 1905, The Lantern reported that the building was officially “dedicated” when final exams were held on March 28. The original portion of the building is the center section; the east wing – in which the Department of English took up residence after its building burned down – was completed in 1914. The west wing was finished in 1922.
An unofficial memorial to a quirky professor is also in Mendenhall: About 50 feet up the south wall is a lighter-colored brick marking what used to be a hole. Professor Benjamin Franklin Thomas, who helped plan the design of the building, ordered for it to have the hole in that location, and for the building to be turned at an angle in relation to Orton Hall so sunlight could fall directly onto his demonstration table. A wooden door was used to prevent rain from coming in—until the hole was permanently filled during renovations in 1929.
Today, Mendenhall is home to the Department of Geology.
more information:
John H. Herrick Archives: Mendenhall Laboratory
