Historical Campus Tour
Danforth Campus
The South 40
When Washington University was founded it was a commuter school for St. Louis-area students, and it remained primarily so until post-World War II period. The passing of the G.I. Bill, which financed college educations for untold numbers of returning war veterans, created a surge in student enrollment, both at Washington University and at colleges nationwide. Washington University, like many schools, was not prepared to meet the new demand. Beginning in 1951, the federal government provided money for low-interest loans to colleges and universities for the construction of student housing through Title IV of the Housing Act of 1950.
In 1953, the University celebrated its 100th birthday and began planning for its second century. One of the conclusions reached by the planning committee was that building undergraduate dormitories was crucial to the University's future development. The development of more on-campus housing was seen as necessary in order to keep up with other private schools with whom Washington University competed for students. On-campus housing would also allow the University to recruit for the best students from all over the country, which, in turn would help attract outstanding faculty.
Beginning in 1958, and with much assistance from the federal government, the University began its development of the South 40. The dormitories went up in four phases. Hellmuth, Obata, and Kassabaum were the architects for these buildings.
South 40 Early Construction
- Phase I (1958):
- Two men's houses (Liggett and Koenig, demolished and replaced in 2005-2006)
- Two women's houses (now Rubelmann and Umrath)
- A dining facility (now Wohl Center)
- The Forsyth underpass
- Phase II (1961)
- Three buildings with suite accommodations for men (G, H, I, now Hitzeman, Hurd, and Myers)
- A four-story building for women (now Beaumont)
- Phase III (1963)
- A 12-story high-rise for women (Shepley, demolished and replaced in 1998-1999)
- A low-rise building for women (now Lee)
- Three low-rise buildings for men (J, K, L, now Dauten, Shanedling, and Rutledge)
- Phase IV (1964)
- A second high-rise dormitory (Eliot, demolished and replaced in 2002-2003)
The residence area of the Danforth Campus is called the "South 40" because it is located on a 40-acre area south of main campus. This land was originally Robert S. Brooking's back yard, when he lived in what is now the Alumni House, located just south of the Music Department complex. Houses:
- A tour of an upperclass hall
- Also on the South 40 is
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