Permelia Eastman Cook Hall
Introduction
Text-to-speech Audio
Permelia Eastman Cook Hall was constructed in 1940 as part of the Storer College campus. It originally housed the physics laboratory, home economics department, and dormitories for the college. Cook Hall is now administered by the National Park Service and is office space. The Appalachian National Scenic Trail has offices in Cook Hall.
Images
Cook Hall
PERSPECTIVE VIEW OF NORTH (FRONT) - Storer College, Cook Hall, 252 McDowell Street, Harpers Ferry, Jefferson County, WV
PERSPECTIVE VIEW OF SOUTH (REAR) AND WEST SIDE - Storer College, Cook Hall, 252 McDowell Street, Harpers Ferry, Jefferson County, WV
Oblique view of north elevation, looking east - Storer College, Cook Hall, 252 McDowell Street, Harpers Ferry, Jefferson County, WV
Oblique detail view of north elevation, looking east - Storer College, Cook Hall, 252 McDowell Street, Harpers Ferry, Jefferson County, WV
Perspective view looking southwest - Storer College, Cook Hall, 252 McDowell Street, Harpers Ferry, Jefferson County, WV
Perspective view looking southwest - Storer College, Cook Hall, 252 McDowell Street, Harpers Ferry, Jefferson County, WV
Perspective view looking northwest - Storer College, Cook Hall, 252 McDowell Street, Harpers Ferry, Jefferson County, WV
North elevation, west end - Storer College, Cook Hall, 252 McDowell Street, Harpers Ferry, Jefferson County, WV
North elevation, center pavilion - Storer College, Cook Hall, 252 McDowell Street, Harpers Ferry, Jefferson County, WV
North elevation, east end - Storer College, Cook Hall, 252 McDowell Street, Harpers Ferry, Jefferson County, WV
East elevation of main block - Storer College, Cook Hall, 252 McDowell Street, Harpers Ferry, Jefferson County, WV
South elevation, east end - Storer College, Cook Hall, 252 McDowell Street, Harpers Ferry, Jefferson County, WV
East elevation of rear wing - Storer College, Cook Hall, 252 McDowell Street, Harpers Ferry, Jefferson County, WV
South elevation of rear wing - Storer College, Cook Hall, 252 McDowell Street, Harpers Ferry, Jefferson County, WV
West elevation of rear wing - Storer College, Cook Hall, 252 McDowell Street, Harpers Ferry, Jefferson County, WV
South elevation, west end - Storer College, Cook Hall, 252 McDowell Street, Harpers Ferry, Jefferson County, WV
West elevation of main block - Storer College, Cook Hall, 252 McDowell Street, Harpers Ferry, Jefferson County, WV
Interior view of stair and phone booth on first floor - Storer College, Cook Hall, 252 McDowell Street, Harpers Ferry, Jefferson County, WV
Detail view of phone booth - Storer College, Cook Hall, 252 McDowell Street, Harpers Ferry, Jefferson County, WV
Cover Sheet & Project Information; detail, front door elevation - Storer College, Cook Hall, 252 McDowell Street, Harpers Ferry, Jefferson County, WV
Sub-Basement Plan - Storer College, Cook Hall, 252 McDowell Street, Harpers Ferry, Jefferson County, WV
Basement Plan - Storer College, Cook Hall, 252 McDowell Street, Harpers Ferry, Jefferson County, WV
First Floor Plan - Storer College, Cook Hall, 252 McDowell Street, Harpers Ferry, Jefferson County, WV
Second Floor Plan - Storer College, Cook Hall, 252 McDowell Street, Harpers Ferry, Jefferson County, WV
North Elevation; detail, cornice at front entrance - Storer College, Cook Hall, 252 McDowell Street, Harpers Ferry, Jefferson County, WV
East & West Elevations - Storer College, Cook Hall, 252 McDowell Street, Harpers Ferry, Jefferson County, WV
South Elevation; detail, cornice at eaves - Storer College, Cook Hall, 252 McDowell Street, Harpers Ferry, Jefferson County, WV
Section; stair detail - Storer College, Cook Hall, 252 McDowell Street, Harpers Ferry, Jefferson County, WV
Backstory and Context
Text-to-speech Audio
Permelia Eastman Cook Hall was the final building constructed on Storer College’s campus, built in 1939-1940. The need for a “domestic science” hall was discussed as early as 1913 and the college collected donations into the 1920s, but financial strain and fire damage to existing structures prevented Storer from quickly constructing a new academic building. In 1927, Storer’s president Henry T. McDonald used the college’s fiftieth anniversary as an opportunity to fundraise for the new building. McDonald asked the Free Baptist Woman’s Missionary Society (FBWMS), who had been involved with Storer College since its establishment, for funds. FBWMS member, Permelia Eastman Cook, offered a $15,000 donation as long as that amount was matched by contributions from the FBWMS and Women’s American Baptist Home Mission Society (WABHMS). The WABHMS did donate a matching $15,000 to total $30,000 towards construction and Storer College named the new domestic science building after Cook for her contribution. Very little information is available about Permelia Eastman Cook except that she lived in Valley Springs, South Dakota in 1931 when she passed away.
Storer College had the necessary funds to construct Cook Hall by 1928, but construction did not begin until 1939. The design of Cook Hall was inspired by Sally Journeycake Hall at Bacone College in Muskogee, Oklahoma. Harriet Palmer, the chairperson of Storer College’s building committee, visited Bacone College in 1939 and really liked the design of Journeycake Hall, and as a result asked permission to base the design of Cook Hall on that building. Cook Hall was constructed fairly quickly at a cost of $27,768.16. Starting in the 1940-41 year Cook Hall was used for home economics classes, women’s physical education, and dormitories.
Cook Hall was actively used in this way until Storer College closed in 1955. The National Park Service purchased the college property in 1962 as part of the Harpers Ferry National Monument (later Harpers Ferry National Historical Park).
Description from the 1980 National Register of Historic Places Nomination for Harpers Ferry National Historical Park:
“Permelia Eastman Cook Hall (Park Bldg. No. 61) is a three-story stone building with pedimented central pavilion erected on the southern crest of Camp Hill south of Anthony Hall in 1940. It was a home economics and dormitory building for Storer College. The National Park Service renovated it in 1962-63 as a dormitory for the Mather Training Center.”
Description from 2000 National Register of Historic Places Registration for Storer College:
“Located southeast of Anthony Memorial Hall, Permelia Eastman Cook Hall is a 2½ story stone structure. The projecting front gable center section has 3 window bays. The lower story windows share a continuous stone lintel with the name of the building engraved in the stone. On the second story, a stylized Palladian window is constructed from a set of three windows with a fanlight window above the center window, a stone lintel arches over the fanlight with a keystone and stretches across the two adjoining windows. The two wings on either side of the projecting center mirror each other. Both are three bays, two window bays and a door abutting the center projection. The doors are six-panels surrounded by pilasters, a wide plain frieze and a dentiled cornice. Windows have six over six sash with stone lintels. The rear of the building has a central stone two-story addition with a rear entrance. The lower story is built into the hillside.”
Sources
"Addendum to Storer College, Cook Hall, Harpers Ferry National Historical Park." Historic American Buildings Survey. Accessed August 19, 2021. https://tile.loc.gov/storage-services/master/pnp/habshaer/wv/wv0300/wv0372/data/wv0372data.pdf.
"Cook Hall." Harpers Ferry National Historical Park. National Park Service. Accessed August 18, 2021. https://www.nps.gov/places/000/cook-hall.htm.
"National Register of Historic Places Inventory--Nomination Form: Harpers Ferry National Historical Park." Accessed August 18, 2021. http://www.wvculture.org/shpo/nr/pdf/jefferson/66000041.pdf.
"National Register of Historic Places Registration Form: Storer College." Accessed August 18, 2021. http://www.wvculture.org/shpo/nr/pdf/jefferson/01000781.pdf.
"Cook Hall." Harpers Ferry National Historical Park. National Park Service. Accessed August 18, 2021. https://www.nps.gov/places/000/cook-hall.htm.
"PERSPECTIVE VIEW OF NORTH (FRONT) - Storer College, Cook Hall, 252 McDowell Street, Harpers Ferry, Jefferson County, WV." HABS WVA,19-HARF,32-E--1. Library of Congress. Accessed August 18, 2021. https://www.loc.gov/pictures/resource/hhh.wv0372.photos.172557p/.
"PERSPECTIVE VIEW OF SOUTH (REAR) AND WEST SIDE - Storer College, Cook Hall, 252 McDowell Street, Harpers Ferry, Jefferson County, WV." HABS WVA,19-HARF,32-E--2. Library of Congress. Accessed August 18, 2021. https://www.loc.gov/pictures/item/wv0372.photos.172558p/resource/.
"Oblique view of north elevation, looking east - Storer College, Cook Hall, 252 McDowell Street, Harpers Ferry, Jefferson County, WV." HABS WVA,19-HARF,32-E--3. Library of Congress. Accessed August 18, 2021. https://www.loc.gov/pictures/item/wv0372.photos.362570p/resource/.
"Oblique detail view of north elevation, looking east - Storer College, Cook Hall, 252 McDowell Street, Harpers Ferry, Jefferson County, WV." HABS WVA,19-HARF,32-E--4. Library of Congress. Accessed August 18, 2021. https://www.loc.gov/pictures/item/wv0372.photos.362571p/resource/.
"Perspective view looking southwest - Storer College, Cook Hall, 252 McDowell Street, Harpers Ferry, Jefferson County, WV." HABS WVA,19-HARF,32-E--5. Library of Congress. Accessed August 18, 2021. https://www.loc.gov/pictures/item/wv0372.photos.362572p/resource/.
"Perspective view looking southwest - Storer College, Cook Hall, 252 McDowell Street, Harpers Ferry, Jefferson County, WV." HABS WVA,19-HARF,32-E--6. Library of Congress. Accessed August 18, 2021. https://www.loc.gov/pictures/item/wv0372.photos.362573p/resource/.
"Perspective view looking northwest - Storer College, Cook Hall, 252 McDowell Street, Harpers Ferry, Jefferson County, WV." HABS WVA,19-HARF,32-E--7. Library of Congress. Accessed August 18, 2021. https://www.loc.gov/pictures/item/wv0372.photos.362574p/resource/.
"North elevation, west end - Storer College, Cook Hall, 252 McDowell Street, Harpers Ferry, Jefferson County, WV." HABS WVA,19-HARF,32-E--8. Library of Congress. Accessed August 18, 2021. https://www.loc.gov/pictures/item/wv0372.photos.362575p/resource/.
"North elevation, center pavilion - Storer College, Cook Hall, 252 McDowell Street, Harpers Ferry, Jefferson County, WV." HABS WVA,19-HARF,32-E--9. Library of Congress. Accessed August 18, 2021. https://www.loc.gov/pictures/item/wv0372.photos.362576p/resource/.
"North elevation, east end - Storer College, Cook Hall, 252 McDowell Street, Harpers Ferry, Jefferson County, WV." HABS WVA,19-HARF,32-E--10. Library of Congress. Accessed August 18, 2021. https://www.loc.gov/pictures/item/wv0372.photos.362577p/resource/.
"East elevation of main block - Storer College, Cook Hall, 252 McDowell Street, Harpers Ferry, Jefferson County, WV." HABS WVA,19-HARF,32-E--11. Library of Congress. Accessed August 18, 2021. https://www.loc.gov/pictures/item/wv0372.photos.362578p/resource/.
"South elevation, east end - Storer College, Cook Hall, 252 McDowell Street, Harpers Ferry, Jefferson County, WV." HABS WVA,19-HARF,32-E--12. Library of Congress. Accessed August 18, 2021. https://www.loc.gov/pictures/item/wv0372.photos.362579p/resource/.
"East elevation of rear wing - Storer College, Cook Hall, 252 McDowell Street, Harpers Ferry, Jefferson County, WV." HABS WVA,19-HARF,32-E--13. Library of Congress. Accessed August 18, 2021. https://www.loc.gov/pictures/item/wv0372.photos.362580p/resource/.
"South elevation of rear wing - Storer College, Cook Hall, 252 McDowell Street, Harpers Ferry, Jefferson County, WV." HABS WVA,19-HARF,32-E--14. Library of Congress. Accessed August 18, 2021. https://www.loc.gov/pictures/item/wv0372.photos.362581p/resource/.
"West elevation of rear wing - Storer College, Cook Hall, 252 McDowell Street, Harpers Ferry, Jefferson County, WV." HABS WVA,19-HARF,32-E--15. Library of Congress. Accessed August 18, 2021. https://www.loc.gov/pictures/item/wv0372.photos.362582p/resource/.
"South elevation, west end - Storer College, Cook Hall, 252 McDowell Street, Harpers Ferry, Jefferson County, WV." HABS WVA,19-HARF,32-E--16. Library of Congress. Accessed August 18, 2021. https://www.loc.gov/pictures/item/wv0372.photos.362583p/resource/.
"West elevation of main block - Storer College, Cook Hall, 252 McDowell Street, Harpers Ferry, Jefferson County, WV." HABS WVA,19-HARF,32-E--17. Library of Congress. Accessed August 18, 2021. https://www.loc.gov/pictures/item/wv0372.photos.362584p/resource/.
"Interior view of stair and phone booth on first floor - Storer College, Cook Hall, 252 McDowell Street, Harpers Ferry, Jefferson County, WV." HABS WVA,19-HARF,32-E--18. Library of Congress. Accessed August 18, 2021. https://www.loc.gov/pictures/item/wv0372.photos.362585p/resource/.
"Detail view of phone booth - Storer College, Cook Hall, 252 McDowell Street, Harpers Ferry, Jefferson County, WV." HABS WVA,19-HARF,32-E--19. Library of Congress. Accessed August 18, 2021. https://www.loc.gov/pictures/item/wv0372.photos.362586p/resource/.
"Cover Sheet & Project Information; detail, front door elevation - Storer College, Cook Hall, 252 McDowell Street, Harpers Ferry, Jefferson County, WV." HABS WVA,19-HARF,32-E- (sheet 1 of 9). Library of Congress. Accessed August 18, 2021. https://www.loc.gov/pictures/item/wv0372.sheet.00001a/resource/.
"Sub-Basement Plan - Storer College, Cook Hall, 252 McDowell Street, Harpers Ferry, Jefferson County, WV." HABS WVA,19-HARF,32-E- (sheet 2 of 9). Library of Congress. Accessed August 18, 2021. https://www.loc.gov/pictures/item/wv0372.sheet.00002a/resource/.
"Basement Plan - Storer College, Cook Hall, 252 McDowell Street, Harpers Ferry, Jefferson County, WV." HABS WVA,19-HARF,32-E- (sheet 3 of 9). Library of Congress. Accessed August 18, 2021. https://www.loc.gov/pictures/item/wv0372.sheet.00003a/resource/.
"First Floor Plan - Storer College, Cook Hall, 252 McDowell Street, Harpers Ferry, Jefferson County, WV." HABS WVA,19-HARF,32-E- (sheet 4 of 9). Library of Congress. Accessed August 18, 2021. https://www.loc.gov/pictures/item/wv0372.sheet.00004a/resource/.
"Second Floor Plan - Storer College, Cook Hall, 252 McDowell Street, Harpers Ferry, Jefferson County, WV." HABS WVA,19-HARF,32-E- (sheet 5 of 9). Library of Congress. Accessed August 18, 2021. https://www.loc.gov/pictures/item/wv0372.sheet.00005a/resource/.
"North Elevation; detail, cornice at front entrance - Storer College, Cook Hall, 252 McDowell Street, Harpers Ferry, Jefferson County, WV." HABS WVA,19-HARF,32-E- (sheet 6 of 9). Library of Congress. Accessed August 18, 2021. https://www.loc.gov/pictures/item/wv0372.sheet.00006a/resource/.
"East & West Elevations - Storer College, Cook Hall, 252 McDowell Street, Harpers Ferry, Jefferson County, WV." HABS WVA,19-HARF,32-E- (sheet 7 of 9). Library of Congress. Accessed August 18, 2021. https://www.loc.gov/pictures/item/wv0372.sheet.00007a/resource/.
"South Elevation; detail, cornice at eaves - Storer College, Cook Hall, 252 McDowell Street, Harpers Ferry, Jefferson County, WV." HABS WVA,19-HARF,32-E- (sheet 8 of 9). Library of Congress. Accessed August 18, 2021. https://www.loc.gov/pictures/item/wv0372.sheet.00008a/resource/.
"Section; stair detail - Storer College, Cook Hall, 252 McDowell Street, Harpers Ferry, Jefferson County, WV." HABS WVA,19-HARF,32-E- (sheet 9 of 9). Library of Congress. Accessed August 18, 2021. https://www.loc.gov/pictures/item/wv0372.sheet.00009a/resource/.