With their classic architecture and central location on campus, several structures in the “Historic Heart” serve as the centerpiece of Wittenberg’s idyllic setting. Blair Hall is one of those structures, and the 83-year-old building now reflects the bold, dynamic academic programming taking place within its walls thanks to a $5.2 million restoration.
Construction began in May 2009 after the Wittenberg’s Board of Directors selected Blair as the first Historic Heart project after realizing the cost savings associated with the project in this current economy. Thanks to the generous support of the Board of Directors, alumni and friends, Blair Hall is now a contemporary venue for critical thinking and research. It embodies the energy, creativity and commitment of those who teach and learn in Wittenberg’s nationally renowned Department of Education.
The building was first envisioned in 1921 by W.L. Blair, who committed $80,000 toward the building effort because he believed Wittenberg surpassed other college in Ohio. Blair Hall was dedicated in 1927, and it has since served a variety of purposes. Blair Hall once housed academy classes and included the Little Theatre where movies began in 1928. During World War II, it was given over to the government and became an Army Air Force Training School along with Carnegie Hall, located in the campus’ southwest corner.
Faculty offices were temporarily moved to the former Springfield City Board of Education building on East College Avenue, a property Wittenberg acquired in 2008. Education classes were taught at other locations on campus during the 2009-10 academic year, and the Upward Bound program moved to Synod Hall. Blair Hall’s theatre was converted into state-of-the-art classroom space, but the university maintained its commitment to the Department of Theatre and Dance by creating a new theatre facility in the newly named Springfield Center for the Arts at Wittenberg University, 107 Cliff Park Road.
Story by Ryan Maurer, Photos by Erin Pence '04
