Winnie Davis Hall of History

Located on the Limestone University campus, the Winnie Davis Hall of History is the most striking buildings on campus. Built in 1904, it is a fine example of Late Gothic Revival architecture. Its most notable feature is the octagonal tower that contains multi-paned windows with Gothic tracery and crenelated parapet at the top. Other features include the pointed arched main entrance, a large window above with tracery, and sets of three pointed arched windows. Decorative yellow brick surrounds all of the windows. The building was erected to be a repository and research center for Southern history and literature. It was named after the daughter of Jefferson Davis. Today it is a multimedia academic hall and contains a museum, art gallery, and faculty offices.

Limestone University was founded in 1845 as Limestone College. It was the first women's college in the state and one of the first in the country (it is now coeducational; men started to attend in the early 1900s). Winnie Davis Hall was built during the tenure of college president Dr. Lee Davis Lodge, who envisioned a building that would become the home of a leading research center, which was to be called "The Winnie Davis School of History." The state legislature approved of the plan in 1900. In the coming years, the school collected a variety of materials including photographs, newspapers, and letters. In 1927, the school became the college's department of history. History classes were taught in the building until 1975, when the building was deemed unsafe. It apparently remained unused until it was restored in 2010.

"History of Limestone." Limestone University. Accessed June 8, 2021. https://www.limestone.edu/history-of-limestone.

McNulty, Kappy. "Winnie Davis Hall of History." National Park Service - National Register of Historic Places Nomination Form. April 29, 1977. https://npgallery.nps.gov/GetAsset/abace0d1-392e-4372-b243-0265c48d2e53.