Buckman Hall - Gainesville, FL
N 29° 39.056 W 082° 20.685
17R E 369844 N 3280862
Buckman Hall at the University of Florida was built in 1906 and is the one of the two original buildings on campus. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places on January 11, 1974.
Waymark Code: WMXE38
Location: Florida, United States
Date Posted: 01/01/2018
Views: 1
"Buckman Hall is a historic building located in Murphree Area on the University of Florida campus in Gainesville, Florida, United States. It was designed by architect William A. Edwards in the Collegiate Gothic style and opened in 1906 as one of the two original buildings on the University of Florida's Gainesville campus. It once was a multi-purpose facility, but has been used exclusively as a student dormitory since the 1940s.
Buckman Hall was added to the U.S. National Register of Historic Places on January 11, 1974.
History
Buckman Hall and nearby Thomas Hall were the first two completed buildings at the new University of Florida campus when it opened in 1906. As such, they were home to all functions of the school, including classrooms, dormitories, and administrative offices. Buckman Hall also housed a cafeteria, a gymnasium, and an infirmary. Andrew Sledd, the first president of the university, also lived in Buckman Hall for a time.
The university's campus grew along with its enrollment in the early 20th Century, and newer buildings gradually took over many of the former functions of Buckman Hall. It has been used exclusively as a dormitory since the University of Florida became co-educational following World War II.
From 1974 to 2003, Buckman Hall functioned as a student cooperative dormitory. In exchange for lower rental rates, students performed much of the day-to-day maintenance themselves, such as general housekeeping and minor plumbing repairs. Residents also elected their own officers, who had the authority to make decisions concerning many aspects of residence hall life, a responsibility usually filled by resident assistants. The program lost popularity with students over the years, and Buckman Hall became a regular dorm for the spring 2003 semester.
Buckman Hall and Thomas Hall, the first two buildings to open on the UF campus, are also the only two buildings without central air conditioning. As part of a utilities update in 2006, Buckman Hall's old wiring and other electrical components were replaced to better handle electrical demands from computers and other modern electronics. The improvements also made it possible for student residents to purchase and use portable air conditioning units beginning with the fall 2007 semester.
Namesake
Buckman Hall is named after Henry Holland Buckman, the Florida legislator who authored the Buckman Act, which established the modern University of Florida in 1905."
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