Oberlin Then and Now: Tappan Hall
Then: Tappan Hall, 1836, Now: Tappan Square, 1930, Olmsted Brothers
Tappan Hall was begun in 1835 and completed in 1836. It was named in honor of Mr. Authur Tappan, of New York City, who gave $10,000 for the construction of the building. It was located near the center of the college campus, and for many years the campus bore the name "Tappan Square." The main walk across the campus passed through this building, the central corridor forming a section of the walk. There were four rooms for recitation purposes on the first floor. The upper floors contained ninety single rooms for men, each room being 8 by 16 feet, with a door at one end and a window at the other. Tappan Hall represented at that time the "ultimate idea of comfort and convenience in a college dormitory." It was torn down in 1885, "because of grave imperfections of constitution."
Source: From the 1936 Alumni Catalogue and a set of building cards created by the College Secretary's office, both located at the Oberlin College Archives
Photo courtesy of Oberlin College Archives
