Heritage Hall

User Note: After the previous entry, turn to look at the building to the left, which is now known as Heritage Hall. Feel free to follow the path in front of the building towards the right side of the building to see the former site of the gymnasium addition or walk around the building to get a better view.

After being founded in 1903, the Western State Normal School constructed its first building atop Prospect Hill. The Administration Building was completed in 1905 by architect E.W. Arnold and soon became the home of classrooms, offices, recitation rooms, and a small auditorium. After a few years, two of the classrooms were transformed into a library and reading room. In 1905, plans were put in place for an addition to the original structure, which would contain a gymnasium with a pool, an expanded library, and other spaces for physical education activities. As the campus continued to expand, the Administration Building and attached gymnasium were utilized in other ways, especially as departments were moved to newer facilities. The Administration Building, also known as East Hall, continued to be used as an educational space until the 1990s and was later renovated for the new Alumni Center in the 2010s.

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While the Normal School was officially founded in 1903, the first structure was not completed until 1905 due to delays in obtaining the property deed and the construction timeline. Architect Ernest W. Arnold was chosen for the construction of the Administration Building, with the help of Rickman and Sons Construction and contractor Albert White.

The new structure consisted of a brick exterior with two stories and drew inspiration from the classical revival architectural style that included a Greek-inspired portico with classical columns that overlooked downtown Kalamazoo. The columned entrance on the east side of the building featured Romanesque arched windows over the main doors that could be seen from the street at the base of Prospect Hill.

Prior to the construction of the Administration Building, classes through the Normal School were being held in various buildings throughout the city of Kalamazoo, such as the Kalamazoo County Courthouse and the Vine Street School. The new building measured around 35,000 square feet and included spaces for twelve classrooms, administrative offices, recitation rooms, and an auditorium with 400 seats.

In 1905, over $60,000 was appropriated for the construction of a new gymnasium and an additional $12,000 for new recitation rooms. This new building was constructed as an addition to the Administration Building and provided rooms for offices, an expanded library, and a state-of-the-art gym, which included showers, a swimming pool, a running track, and batting cages.

In 1967, the building was renamed East Hall and continued to serve as a teaching facility until the 1990s when it was permitted to students for studio space and houses the university’s archives. In the early 2010s, the gymnasium addition was torn down and the Board of Trustees voted to change the name to Heritage Hall. The original Administration Building was later renovated for a ballroom, library, café, and various conference rooms, as well as the Office for Development and Alumni Relations.

Knauss, James O. The First Fifty Years: A History of Western Michigan College of Education, 1903-1953. Kalamazoo, MI: Western Michigan College of Education, 1953. 

Carlson, Sharon; Glatz, Jason, WMU Facilities Management. “WMU Campus History” [storymap], https://campus-history.library.wmich.edu/index.html. (Accessed February 17, 2022) 

Massie, Larry B. Brown and Golden Memories: Western Michigan University's First Century. Kalamazoo, MI: Western Michigan University, 2003. 

“Anna French Recalls First Library: 'A Happy Place in Which to Work'.” Western Michigan College News Magazine. 1955, 13 edition, sec. 2. 

“Guided Tour Binder.” Kalamazoo: Heritage Hall Alumni Center, n.d. 

Rep. Buildings and Grounds - Undergraduate Catalog. Kalamazoo, MI: Western Michigan University, 1968. 

Carlson, Sharon. East Hall Date, 2015