These are the former and current buildings and structures of Towson University and its predecessor institutions.
Contents
Former locations
These buildings are located in Baltimore, Maryland. The School/College/University was housed in them at separate periods before the institution moved to its current suburban location, north of the City of Baltimore in north-central Baltimore County in the county seat of Towson, Maryland in September 1915.
History
Administration Hall (now Stephens Hall), Newell Hall, and the Power Plant were the first three original buildings built on the suburban Baltimore County campus in 1913-1915, which opened September 1915, facing York Road.
In 1936, the Works Progress Administration (W.P.A.), part of Roosevelt's "New Deal" program, had spent over $55,000 in its work on "The Glen". It included lodges which were used for open air classes and meetings, a council ring for ceremonies, and an amphitheater.
The original Lida Lee Tall building was renamed Van Bokkelen Hall in 1960, after the man and Episcopal priest, Libertus Van Bokkelen, who was authorized by the new third Maryland Constitution of 1864 and first served as Maryland State Superintendent of Public Instruction, in 1865, heading the developing, supervision and advising of public school systems for the various counties and funded the new Maryland State Normal School (M.S.N.S.).
After the school was moved to Towson in 1914-1915, Richmond became the first principal to live in the white, colonial style house "Glen Esk" (now near Prettyman Hall). This was the residence of one of the estates existing on the land facing York Road, south of old Towsontown that was secured for the school. However, in 1970, President James Fisher became the last to live in the "Glen Esk" house since the school moved to Towson. Because it was no longer suitable for a family, as students were occasionally found passed out on the lawn, it was eventually turned into the Counseling Center.
In 1971, as Earle T. Hawkins, former president of Towson State University, researched the school's history, he became especially interested in the meaning of the name of the house, "Glen Esk", now the counseling center. Hawkins published an article in The Baltimore Sun, in which he suggested he was trying to solve this mystery. In response, he received a letter from the wine and spirits importers Maynard and Child, Inc. of Scotland, who included a label from their brand of whiskey called "Glen Esk."
The Cook Library occupies space that was once a gymnasium. Prior to its opening, the current Media Center served as the Library.
George LaTour Smith, (whom Smith Hall is named after), died on his way home after getting hit by a locomotive. The administration felt that it was respectful to name the building in his honor.