Mell Hall

Can you believe this beautiful building was once a fraternity house on campus? How convenient for the brothers of Sigma Nu because they were literally in the middle of campus, next door to the library and only a few yards from Haley.
My favorite thing about this building is the closed in sides that once were big beautiful porches. The article says that the guys would sleep on the porches to make sure they got enough fresh air.
I say this in the video, but did you know at The University of Alabama the girls' dorms still have "sleeping porches". They are based on the same ideas but of course a bit different not. They are closed in and dark, but you can only go in if you plan on sleeping. Essentially all the girls' beds are in one room and their living space and desks are in a different area of the house. It is a cool idea so you never have to worry about your roommate coming in and turning on the lights because that is simply against the rules. At least you're guaranteed a good night sleep.
I really like this building because it is one building that physically shows an old tradition, but has been remodeled to fit modern needs.

Ingram Hall

Ingram Hall, in my opinion, looks much like Smith Hall and it could have something to do with the fact that they were both originally dorms.
If you take a walking tour of campus your student recruiter is sure to point out the most interesting fact about this building, it once had a swimming pool in the basement. Of course now it has been filled in so no more late swim parties in the building, but at one point I am sure people made many fun memories in the basement swimming pools.

Smith Hall

This is Smith Hall. First I show the location on college street, next to the University Chapel and across the street from Samford Hall. In the background is the infamous Auburn University signs where practically every graduate has a picture in front of it, because it is an unspoken tradition here on campus.
As the article says, Smith Hall was originally a dorm and you can kind of imagine what a beautiful homey-dorm Smith Hall once made. Currently it houses outreach programs and campus planning offices.
The other night, on the night before Valentine's Day to be specific, a group of my friends and I went to an event hosted by UPC where we all got dressed up and went on campus to swing dance the night away. It was the most fun we have had in a long time and a perfect atmosphere. It got us all thinking about what it would have been like to attend Auburn University in the early 1900s when "dates" really happened in that manner. All week guys would have been finding dates and girls would have been picking out a dress to attend the dance with the Auburn Knights 15 piece jazz band. Perhaps the guy would go pick his date up at Smith Hall and she would have the beautiful grand staircase seen in the video on which to descend.
In our minds this is how "the good ole days" were and how drastically different they are from what we experience today. Now you're lucky if you can somehow convince your boyfriend to drive to campus at night and then (the even harder part) convince him to dance, much less swing dance. However, if you do get the opportunity to go to something like this that may seem our of your comfort zone, GO because it is an experience that is worth taking chances for. Who knows, perhaps you may end up enjoying yourself and finding yourself swept back into the 1940s.

Martin Hall

Mary Martin Hall today houses the University Registrar, but originally was the first campus library. It is a beautiful building as well and in the video you can see a picture of Mary Martin herself. Mary Martin was the favorite librarian around campus, and even grew a garden in the back while students were studying for their exams.
The new library, the Ralph Brown Draughon Library, is the biggest library in the state. It is a great library, but it was not built until 1963. Most who will read this blog probably never called Mary Martin the library, but I imagine it was a beautiful library that created a peaceful setting for studying and doing well on exams.

Ross Hall

This is probably one of the best buildings on campus. As I say in the video, these walls that you can see and walk past were actually built around the original walls of the building during renovations. The pendulum in the middle of the building indicates the rotation of the earth and the movement and direction of the earth. It is very interesting and apparently they have had so many people come in and stop the pendulum that they now video everyone who wishes to go get a closer look.
If you have never walked through this building and you ever get the chance to please go inside because it is a beautiful building on the inside, and although it looks like nothing special on the outside it is so beautiful on the inside.
The article says that the body of Ross (whom the building is named after) lays in state in the main hallway, but honestly I have never noticed any indications. Next time I will have to be less distracted by the beautiful pendulum and ornate walls and look for a tribute to Mr. Ross.

Hargis Hall

This building is very beautiful on the exterior, but rather boring on the interior. It houses administrative and graduate studies offices. In the video the huge world map on the right is the biggest map I have ever seen. I think that is about all that is interesting in that building, other than the people who were so kind to let me video.

As the article says, a fire gutted the building during its renovations and the cause was never determined.

Let me know if anyone has an interesting story to liven up this building.

Langdon Hall

This is also a very unique building on campus, which many of the buildings are. It is one of the few buildings that was moved from its original spot on North Gay Street to its new spot on campus.

This building houses administration and business offices, along with some classes. It is a beautiful building that was not originally brick. Like I say in the video this building sits in front of the University seal and just in case you cannot understand what I am saying, the legend and tradition states that one, especially a woman, does not step foot on the seal because if one does she will not find true love while in school at Auburn University. This of course applies to men, but we all know women are more likely to take it more seriously.

This makes me wonder, who has met their true love at Auburn? Who stepped on the seal?

Samford Hall

This is Samford Hall and, as many of you probably know, the first main building that the rest of the campus was built around. I think Samford Hall is one of the most beautiful buildings on campus and is definitely the most photographed. Unfortunately I was unable to tape too much of the inside of the building, but I have a few emails out contacting a few maintenance and ground keepers so that I may hopefully be able to get a guided tour of the ins and outs of the bell tower and Samford Hall in its entirety. Obviously I will take a camera so that you may be able to receive a guided tour as well. 

I was wondering if you have any fun memories dealing with Samford Hall? If so I would like to know what those stories are, so if you would like take some time to share these stories.  

There is more to come and in the meantime share those stories! I would love to hear/read them! 

Until Next Time~

Auburn University Chapel

This is the famous University Chapel, as the article says it is the oldest campus building that is still located in its original spot. There are many famous ghost tales surrounding this building, and early during the fall 2008 semester Ashley Sisk, a UPC special projects director, hired a ghost hunter to come to the university to put the ghost tales to bed. He with many other students from around campus followed signs and noises to the building hoping to catch the ghost believed to be haunting the campus. To their disbelief the ghost hunter ruled that there was no ghost on campus and there perhaps never was, or to the true believers the ghost was just really good at hiding his presence.

To those who were wondering about the boys in the back of the video in the chapel, they are actually students on campus who are collaborating to conduct a praise and worship hour in which college students from all different churches gather to pray for unity within the church. A very unique and diverse hour of worship and prayer in which anyone is invited to join. That is one of the most special things about Auburn, in my opinion, you can walk through any door on campus and find fellowship and loving people.