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By Matt Hinger and Abdul Abdul – Section 11
Geology Hall is building in the historic Queens section of the College Avenue campus at Rutgers. Designed Henry Janeway Hardenbergh, Geology Hall was ordered to be built by President William Henry Campbell in order to expand the Rutgers facilities near Old Queens in 1872. When Rutgers was chosen as New Jersey’s Land Grant College in 1864, fundraising began for the creation of new buildings on campus, and Geology Hall became one of the first projects to be completed. Henry Hardenbergh, born in New Brunswick to a Dutch family, designed Geology Hall in a way that imitates gothic architecture in the Netherlands. In 1872, Geology Professor George H. Cook utilized the building to found the Rutgers Geology Museum. The Museum has housed many artifacts, including a prehistoric skull that was initially found in Holland in 1720. The native Dutch artifact serves as a connection between the University and Dutch history that traces back even further than the founding of Rutgers.
We decided to pick Geology Hall because it is a major Rutgers landmark that ties both directly and indirectly with Dutch heritage. Derived from a Dutch designer, it connects with the traditionally Dutch influences that Rutgers is known for in the College’s early years. The Dutch style of the architecture is a true standing reminder of the origins of the University. It still operates to this day as the house of many geological collections and artifacts, and is open for visitation to the public. Bill Selden, former director of the Museum said in an interview with the Daily Targum, “’The thing about the Old Queens Campus in general is the fact that it is an architectural record of the change from natural philosophy to the arts and sciences,’”.
Works Cited
1) Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey – Rutgers University Libraries. “Paths to Historic Rutgers: A Self-Guided Tour” from the Special Collections and University Archives: University Archives. Retrieved September 27, 2013.
2) Olsson, Richard. “History of EPS: A Brief History Of Geology At Rutgers, 1830–1980” at Rutgers School of Arts and Sciences: Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences (official website). Retrieved September 27, 2013.
3) Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey — Rutgers Geology Museum. “About the Museum”. Retrieved September 27, 2013.
4) Szteinbaum, Sabrina. “Rutgers Geology Museum to Remain Fixture on Campus.”The Daily Targum. Rutger University Press, 04 Sept. 2013. Web. 6 Apr. 2016. <http://www.dailytargum.com/article/2013/09/rutgers-geology-museum-to-remain-fixture-on-campus>.