Missouri State University Libraries
Design and Construction
Volume: 6 cubic feet
Dates: 1944-2005
Provenance
The collection was acquired mainly in 2003. It was processed in 2006 by Tracie Gieselman-Holthaus. These records were obtained during the course of a National Historical Publications and Records Commission grant-funded project to enhance the University Archives.
Copyright
This collection may be protected from unauthorized copying by the Copyright Law of the United States (Title 17, United States Code).
Access
The collection is unrestricted. Single photocopies may be made for research purposes. Permission to publish material from the collection must be obtained from the Department of Special Collections and Archives. Citations should be as follows: Identification of the item, box and folder number, Design and Construction Collection [RG 13/13], Department of Special Collections and Archives, Missouri State University.
Biographical/Historical Sketch
The Design and Construction department oversees all campus construction activities from project conceptualization to actual construction. Through the years, the department has been considered a part of Physical Plant Administration (now Facilities Management), and at other times, a separate department.
As part of its work, Design and Construction has inherited relevant documents from earlier eras. Many of these non-active records were transferred to the Archives during the course of a National Historical Publications and Records Commission grant-funded project. For instance, at the end of World War II, the university faced a growing veteran population. President Roy Ellis joined the state-wide effort to achieve funding for expansions to accommodate the students, and spoke with students regarding new dormitories and a student center. The process of building a Student Center and women’s dormitory are documented with proposals to the Board, bid notices, and correspondence. Subsequent records document the construction of other campus buildings and properties. These materials help document the growth of campus that occurred after WWII, and the significant changes this growth brought to the surrounding neighborhoods.
Scope and Content
The Design and Construction Collection traces the expansion of the Missouri State University campus with photographs, property appraisals, correspondence, maps, project bid packets, and news-clippings. The majority of the material refers to property acquisition and demolition, but also documents the neighborhoods and businesses that once surrounded the university. The collection is divided into the following series:
Series I: Appraisal Reports: Bound appraisal reports contain neighborhood aerial photographs and individual property photographs. Some reports include city statistics, a neighborhood analysis, comparable properties, exterior and interior descriptions, floor plans, correspondence and notes. Reports are arranged chronologically and, when available, two copies were preserved. The reports were left in their original format because of the concern of losing context if the books were unbound.
Series II: Board of Regents: Contains agendas for the Board of Regents’ meetings, July 1967 – November 1968. This was a major period of growth for the university, and the agendas note many topics that pertain to Design and Construction, such as property acquisition, bid, and building reports.
Series III: Asbestos Removal and Demolition: This series contains information on the asbestos removal and demolition of university owned properties, spanning 1990 to 2000. The bulk of the series pertains to the Colonial Hotel/Lines Video demolition. Photos referred to in these files can be found in the Photograph Series.
Series IV: Subject Files: Miscellaneous files were arranged alphabetically. Make note of President Ellis’ materials covering the post WWII need for a men’s dorm and student center, the Sorosis House Exterior Modifications, and the planting plan for the University’s Campus Union Gardens. Photos referred to in these files can be found in the Photograph Series.
Series V: Photographs: Loose photos from the collection are housed in this series. Negatives from the collection can be found at the end of the photograph series in a separate folder. Photos include the National Hall demolition, the Colonial Hotel roof failure, the Colonial Hotel/Lines Video demolition, the Corral Area Additions, and the Sorosis House modifications proposal.
Container List
The container list for this collection is available in PDF format. Adobe Reader is required to view the container list.
