Evansdale Campus Walking Tour - Clio

Entries on This Tour

1. West Virginia University Coliseum

The West Virginia University (WVU) Coliseum is a venue that has brought Mountaineers together since 1970. It serves as the home of the WVU's men's and women's basketball teams, and is also used as a space for concerts and commencement ceremonies. Among the most historic moments in the Coliseum were the Mountaineers' first game – a 1973 victory over rival Pittsburgh – and the upset of #1 ranked University of Nevada, Las Vegas Rebels in 1983. The Coliseum holds the retired jerseys of leading players, including the legendary Jerry West (44) and Hot Rod Hundley (33).

2. Hot Rod Hundley Statue

Rodney Clark “Hot Rod” Hundley was born on October 26, 1934 in Charleston, West Virginia. Hundley played for WVU from 1954 to 1957. His signature style of dribbling and on-court antics led to the nickname of “Hot Rod.” Following his college career, Hundley was drafted in the first round to the Cincinnati Royals and was then traded to the Minneapolis Lakers, where he played from 1957 to 1963. After his retirement, Hundley continued to employ his passion for basketball by becoming a sports broadcaster for the NBA. In 2010, WVU retired his number 33, making him and Jerry West the only WVU players to be awarded the honor. Following his death in 2015, a bronze statue of him was placed outside of the WVU Coliseum.

3. Jerry West Statue at West Virginia University Coliseum

In February 2007, West Virginia University dedicated a life-size bronze statute to honor one of the greatest basketball players to play for the Mountaineers, Jerry West. Situated outside the Coliseum in Morgantown, the statue complements the Jerry West Lounge that was established during the 1998-99 season. Jerry West was a West Virginia native who went on to be a 14-time NBA All-Star and an NBA champion. This statue, created by Morgantown artist Jamie Lester, honors the man who many believe changed West Virginia University basketball forever.

4. West Virginia University Core Arboretum

The WVU Core Arboretum was established in 1948 when West Virginia University purchased the land to expand the school’s campus. It encompasses 91 acres of forest and 3 miles of foot trails. It is also part of the 19-mile Rail-to-Trail that runs from downtown Morgantown to Reedsville, West Virginia. The Core Arboretum is managed by the WVU Biology Department and is located along Monongahela Boulevard next to the WVU Coliseum. These parklands and trails are open everyday from dawn until dusk. The Best College Reviews lists the Core Arboretum in the top 50 "Most Beautiful College Arboretums."

5. College of Creative Arts/Creative Arts Center

West Virginia University's College of Creative Arts was formed in 1969 and the Creative Arts Center, or CAC, was dedicated to the college. The CAC was created to serve as a meeting point for 3 academic and artistic disciplines: music, art, and drama. This was thought to be a big step in emphasizing the state's culture and integrating it into academic spaces. The building itself was completed in three phases, with each one corresponding to a different artistic interest. The first phase, which was devoted to music, was completed as early as 1967-1968. This section cost $7 million out of the total $10 million needed for the complete CAC. The building currently houses a 1,420-seat concert theater, opera and studio theaters, and two art galleries.

6. Outdoor Sculptures at WVU Creative Arts Center

Around the perimeter of the WVU Creatives Arts Center is an outdoor sculpture site, comprised of permanent and temporary sculptures. The various permanent sculptures all have similar themes of synthesis to the natural environment and industrial elements. It features permanent structures: “Last Dance,” “The Discovery IV,” “The Bubble Pack Bench Series,” and “Earth Giant.”

7. Art Museum of West Virginia University

Opened in 2015, the Art Museum of West Virginia University provides a welcoming and stimulating educational environment for diverse audiences to experience the transformative power of visual art. By exploring the varied artistic traditions of different cultures, past and present, visitors gain a better understanding of themselves, their communities, and their world.

8. Museum Education Center

The Museum Education Center (MEC) building was initially built as the Erickson Alumni Center. Erected between 1984 and 1986, the structure was designed by famous architect Michael Graves to house the WVU Alumni Center Association. When the new Erickson Alumni Center was completed in 2008, the old Erickson Alumni Center building was repurposed as the MEC for the Art Museum of WVU. The MEC and museum are now attached. The MEC’s physical structure has changed relatively little since being built and remains one of Morgantown’s most unique architectural works. In addition to its educational aspects, it is home to administrative functions of the Museum and has a grand hall and patio which host frequent university and private events.

9. Nath Sculpture Garden at Art Museum of WVU

The Nath Sculpture Garden is a 2.5 acre garden in front the Art Museum of WVU. It features a labyrinth-like path, works of art, and a variety of plants. The sculpture garden was developed and funded by the late Dr. Joginder Nath, professor emeritus and former chair of the genetics and developmental biology program at WVU. All rocks and plants incorporated in this garden were hand selected by Nath and the WVU School of Design and Community Development, and a number of programs at WVU contributed their time and talents to realizing this project. The garden features sculptures by artists from the United States, China, and Zimbabwe. The Nath Sculpture Garden opened in 2016, shortly after the opening of the Art Museum of WVU, and is open year-round.

10. The Royce J. and Caroline B. Watts Museum

The Royce J. and Caroline B. Watts Museum is dedicated to preserving and promoting the social, cultural, and technological history of West Virginia’s coal and petroleum industries through the collection, preservation, research, and exhibition of historical objects and archival materials.

11. Katherine Johnson Conference Room

Room G64, located in the Engineering Sciences Building (ESB) on West Virginia University's Evansdale Campus, was renamed the Katherine Johnson Conference Room in early 2017, shortly after the film Hidden Figures was released. The film tells the story of a team of African American women mathematicians, including Johnson, who served a vital role at NASA during the early years of the US space program. Born in White Sulfur Springs, Katherine Johnson was one of three students to desegregate WVU's graduate school in 1939.

12. Evansdale Library

Evansdale Library is located on the Evansdale campus of West Virginia University. It is currently located next to the Agricultural Sciences building. The library was built with the purpose of supporting the academic research and programs specific to Evansdale campus. It contains resources centered on agricultural disciplines, computer science, education, engineering, landscape architecture, art, forestry, music, theater, physical education, and mineral resources.

13. New Agricultural Sciences Building

The new West Virginia University Agricultural Sciences Building opened September 9th, 2016 and lies adjacent to the original Agricultural Sciences Building that was built in 1961, which had not undergone any significant renovations since its completion. It is a five story, 207,000 square foot building that is nestled in WVU's Evansdale campus and pays homage to the college's land-grant heritage. It was designed to accommodate the needs of the Davis College of Agriculture, Natural Resources, and Design, and features research labs that support animal and nutritional sciences, landscape architecture, and soil sciences, among other things.

14. Percival Hall and Allen Hall

Soon after it completed new facilities for the Colleges of Agriculture and Engineering on the Evansdale Campus, West Virginia University moved forward with plans for Percival Hall as the new home of the Division of Forestry. Construction finished in 1965, and four years later the building was expanded with an addition known as Allen Hall. Both buildings opened with different names and gained their monikers in 1973. The former is named in honor of Walter Clement Percival, the founder and first director of the Division of Forestry. The second is named for James E. Allen, Jr., a West Virginia native and the Commissioner of Education for President Richard Nixon. Through their associations with these individuals, Percival and Allen Halls connect the site to both the history of natural resources management in West Virginia and the history of school desegregation nationwide. The connected structures currently house the Division of Forestry and College of Education and Human Services respectively, both of which are open during regular university hours.

15. WVU Natural History Museum

Our natural history museum was created in 2008 and is currently housed in classrooms 308 and 309 Percival Hall on the Evansdale Campus at WVU. We created a natural history museum for West Virginia because we believe natural history museums are critical for educating future resource managers and the general public. We also believe that natural history museums are an essential component of a comprehensive land grant institution particularly in a rural state like West Virginia where people embrace a strong connection with the land.

Lyon Tower is named after the first woman to graduate with a degree from WVU, Harriet Lyon. Lyon graduated at the head of her class in June 1891. Nearly a century later, West Virginia University officials named this structure in honor of Harriet Lyon's career and scholarly achievements.

This Tour is a Walking Tour.

Evansdale Campus Walking Tour

Created by Nathan Wuertenberg on July 26th 2019, 7:39:33 am.

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Description

After the Second World War, West Virginia University experienced a dramatically increased expansion of its student body as veterans returned from that conflict and entered higher education under the auspices of the G.I. Bill. Like many such universities that experienced similar growth, WVU chose to expand its facilities in response. In 1948, it purchased the Krepps and Dille farms in the Evansdale area outside Morgantown. Thirteen years later, the first structures on the new Evansdale Campus (the Agricultural Sciences Building, Agricultural Sciences Annex, and Engineering Building). Four years later, the Towers Dormitories and Percival Hall followed. The campus has since expanded to include the Creative Arts Center complex, the Earl L. Core Arboretum, and the WVU athletics complex known as the Coliseum. A number of university museums, art exhibits and galleries, and the Evansdale Library are also scattered across the campus in addition to athletic facilities and health services. The campus is also serviced by the Personal Rapid Transit (PRT) system, which connects it to the downtown and Health Sciences campuses.

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