The UW Germanics Department: A Brief History on Denny Hall

The very first thing people learn on their freshman campus tour at University of Washington in Seattle is that Denny Hall is the oldest building on UW soil.

Denny Hall is my favorite building on the university's campus; and I'm not just saying that because I am a Germanics major. When I first set foot on UW ground, Denny Hall was the first building that caught my eye. I marveled at its bavarian style architecture. During the three years I have attended UW, Denny has been like a miniature portal to my old German world. When I am around it or in it, I feel like I am back in Oldenburg. Denny Hall has become a significant part of my college experience.

Construction on Denny Hall began on the fourth of July of 1894 when a crowd of 1000 people gathered at the University of Washington's new campus for the cornerstone laying of the site's first structure.

With the help of architect Charles W. Saunders, the four stories of Denny hall were constructed within a year. It was  made ouf of Enumclaw cornerstone and pressed brick with terra cotta details.

By September 1895, its 35 rooms were opened to student body of little more than 200 people. It was first called the Administration building and housed six of the university's laboratories, a library with 50 chairs, a museum, and faculty rooms.

Today this building hosts the Germanics and Anthropology department at the University of Washington.

Hilary