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PIPRR

Campus Buildings

Gymnasium, Normal School, postcard

One of the Normal School’s first buildings, the gymnasium once stood on what is today the campus quad. Like several surviving buildings from the era, the gymnasium is faced in local serpentine stone.

 

Overview

Beginning with Old Main Hall, the campus has grown greatly over the years. The changing functions, architectural styles, and names of buildings on campus tell us a great deal about WCU’s past. Our collections include photographs, postcards, documents, salvaged artifacts, blueprints, and more for dozens of campus buildings past and present.

Guiding Questions
  • What do the various architectural styles on campus suggest?
  • How did form follow function in campus architecture?
  • How many lives does a single building have?
  • Were local materials used to construct buildings on campus?
  • How does the development of WCU’s built environment compare to those of other universities? to that of the town of West Chester?
Where to Search
West Chester University   ---    WCU Libraries  25 West Rosedale Avenue, West Chester, PA 19383  610-430-4400