University of Idaho Campus Photographs Collection

History

The E.J. Iddings Agricultural Science Building, originally known as the Agricultural Sciences Building, opened in 1951 as an answer to the rising number of enrolled students, as well as a pressing need for office and lab space. Enrollment in the university’s four-year agricultural science program had more than tripled between 1916 and 1946–a reflection of the dominant role of agriculture in Idaho’s economy during the mid-20th century. In 1945 alone, the state’s net agricultural income reached $193.8 million—far surpassing revenue from mining or forestry.¹

Design

Designed by architect Victor Jones of Boise, the Iddings Agricultural Science Building represents the shifting tide of architectural trends on campus as an early example of International Style. The building supported the expansion of the College of Agriculture with updated classrooms, labs, and faculty space.²

By the 1970s, demand again outpaced capacity, prompting the addition of a large north and west wing in 1974. These additions were designed by Bellamy, Bratvold, and Carpenter. The newly expanded building was named and dedicated at that time in honor of longtime dean E.J. Iddings.³

Physical Description

The original building is a four-story, reinforced concrete structure with a flat roof and stretcher bond brick veneer. Long horizontal ribbon windows and minimal ornamentation reflect International Style influences. A large auditorium projects from the south end. The 1970s addition nearly doubled the usable space and echoes the original materials while introducing recessed entries and tall brick-clad columns with vertical window groupings.⁴

The east elevation features stacked window bands and a prominent bas-relief of an early 20th-century agricultural scene. Entrances are primarily aluminum-framed glass doors set beneath modest awnings or galleries. An enclosed skywalk at the building’s north end connects it to the nearby Agricultural Biotechnology building, reinforcing the structure’s continuing role in the evolving agricultural sciences complex.⁵

E. J. Iddings

Edward John Iddings (1879–1954) was an important figure as part of Idaho’s agricultural education. He served as Dean of the University of Idaho’s College of Agriculture from 1915 to 1946, and helped to shape the college during a period of major growth and change.

Iddings was raised on a 350-acre farm in Indiana, and went on to earn degrees from Colorado Agricultural College (now Colorado State University). He later worked for the U.S. Department of Agriculture before joining the faculty of the University of Idaho in 1910.⁶

As the namesake of the E.J. Iddings Agricultural Science Building, Iddings’s legacy endures. His career and contributions are preserved in four scrapbooks which are housed in the University of Idaho Library. These scrapbooks offer a glimpse into the evolution of agriculture and education in the state.⁷

Notes

Images of Agricultural Science Building