University of Idaho Campus Photographs Collection

History

McConnell Hall was constructed in 1957 as a 110-man dormitory and named for prominent Moscow resident and Idaho’s third governor, William J. McConnell. It reflected a transitional moment in university life and design, marking both a shift in student demographics and the campus’s embrace of Modern architecture. Between 1951 and 1961, the university experienced a surge in male enrollment, leading to a severe housing shortage. In response, the university built twin dormitories: McConnell Hall and neighboring Shoup Hall (1958). Both buildings were designed by noted architect Anton Dropping, whose work also includes the Idaho State Supreme Court. These were among the university’s first residential buildings designed in the Modern style.¹

McConnell Hall served as a student dormitory throughout its early decades, though its designation as a men’s or women’s hall shifted in response to enrollment trends. In 1961, a surge in female students prompted its conversion to a women’s dorm. By the late 1970s, declining occupancy led to rooms being reassigned as guest accommodations. According to the Argonaut, residents reported feeling like they lived in a “motel” due to the influx of high school band members, football players, and sorority pledges. Although its future appeared uncertain at the time, McConnell Hall ultimately continued in use, becoming the women’s “quiet dorm” in 1988 and later transitioning to a co-ed residence. The building played a sustained role in student life and reflects the university’s evolution into Modern architectural expression.²

Design

McConnell Hall originally reflected the International Style and was one of the university’s earliest Modernist dormitories. Anton Dropping’s design emphasized rational planning, minimal ornament, and horizontal banding. The building’s massing and plan mirrored functional needs of mid-century university housing and reflected larger trends in postwar institutional architecture. The 1995 renovation introduced Postmodern elements to the original Modern design.³

Physical Description

The three-story structure is composed of steel-reinforced concrete and concrete masonry units on a poured concrete foundation with a partial basement. Its original exterior featured stretcher-bond pressed brick, stucco-coated panels, and ribbon windows, with a medium-gable roof over the south section and a flat roof elsewhere. A wing extends irregularly from the southwest corner. A major renovation in 1995 dramatically transformed the building’s original character, incorporating Postmodern design elements such as corniced-box gables, updated doors, and a glass-block wall. This two-million-dollar overhaul modernized the structure but significantly altered its original design, materials, and feeling.⁴.

William J. McConnell

William J. McConnell (1839–1925) began representing Latah County in the Idaho Constitutional Convention upon his arrival in Moscow and later served as Idaho’s third governor. He played a key role in locating the University of Idaho in Moscow, helping shape its origins. A residence hall—McConnell Hall—built in 1957 bears his name in recognition of that contribution. His legacy spans both public service and institutional foundations for the university and the region.⁵

Notes

Images of McConnell Hall