How much do you really know about the grand buildings you walk past every day?
Theological Hall
One of the oldest buildings on campus, Theological Hall was constructed between 1879 and 1880. It has gone by various names in its long life but took on “Theological Hall” in 1912 when Queen’s separated itself from the Presbyterian Church and became the “Queen’s Theological College.”
Did you know?
In the late 19th century, Theological Hall housed most of the Faculty of Arts & Science. Within it were classrooms, the library, a dining hall and a space to conduct church services.
John Deutsch University Centre (JDUC)
Part of what we now know as the JDUC was constructed in 1862 and served as Kingston’s orphanage. The building was purchased by the University in 1927 and renamed the Students’ Memorial Union in memory of Queen’s students who died during the First World War. Much of the building had to be rebuilt and remodelled after a massive fire in 1947. This is when the building we know today was constructed in large part. The space was renamed to commemorate former Queen’s principal John Deutsch after his death in 1976.
Did you know?
The JDUC was something of a “no girls allowed” clubhouse until the late 1960s with the meeting rooms, club spaces, and dining halls being exclusively for male use.
Ontario Hall
Ontario Hall was built in 1903 with funds from the provincial government. The Government of Ontario commissioned the building so it could house Ontario’s School of Mining and Agriculture (now the Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science).
Did you know?
During the 1950s and 60s Ontario Hall housed a sub-atomic particle accelerator.
Grant Hall
Built in 1905, this campus classic is named after George Munro Grant. Grant was the University’s principal for 25 years (1877-1902). Under his leadership, Queen’s gained financial stability and was put on the path to being the dynamic institution we now know it to be.
Did you know?
Grant Hall was used as a military hospital during the First World War.
Kingston Hall
With funding help from the City of Kingston, Kingston Hall was constructed in 1903. It had to be reconstructed in part after a fire in 1931. The fire was started by a cigarette butt left in the women’s washroom.
Did you know?
Kingston Hall also served as a military hospital during World War I and a barrack for soldiers during WWII.
Douglas Library
The oldest library on campus, Douglas was built between 1923-24. It was named after James Douglas who served as Chancellor from 1915 to 1918.
Did you know?
It’s a campus myth that Douglas Library was “built backwards.” Students think so because there is a grander staircase located in what is now the back of the building. This is because at one time there was a large open park behind Douglas Library, which was a common gathering place for students. The building could be easily accessed from both sides, hence the doors. Neither door was specifically considered the main door.
Ban Righ Hall
Ban Righ Hall was built between 1923-1925 making it the oldest of the university’s residence buildings. “Ban Righ” is Gaelic for “wife of the King” or, in another word, “Queen.”
Did you know?
The construction of Ban Righ Hall was funded in large part by a group of female Queen’s alumni. Their goal was to raise money for an all-female space on campus. 15 years of fundraising resulted in an $80,000 donation to the university.
Miller Hall
Miller Hall was built in 1931 and is named after Willet Green Miller. Miller was a professor of Geology at Queen’s and served as Chief Geologist of Ontario from 1902-1925.
Did you know?
The land that Miller Hall sits on was the site of Queens’ first skating rink which burned down in the 1920s.
McLaughlin Hall
The newest of the buildings listed herein, McLaughlin was constructed in 1948. It is named after Colonel R.S. McLaughlin who financed its construction. It is rumoured that Chancellor Dunning passed a note to McLaughlin in a meeting that said, “Queen’s needs a new mechanical engineering building” which inspired the donation.
Did you know?
Col. McLaughlin’s wife, Adelaide, donated the money for Adelaide Hall – the women’s residence that sits opposite her husband’s building.
Carruthers Hall
Built in 1890, Carruthers Hall is one of the oldest surviving buildings on campus. It was built exclusively to house the sciences and named for one of its contributing funders, John Carruthers.
Did you know?
In the late 19th century, Carruthers Hall had the campus observatory attached to it. The observatory was moved to another location on University Avenue in the 1920s. It settled in its current spot within Ellis Hall in 1999.
Old Medical Building
Completed in 1858, the Old Medical Building was the first permanent building to be added after Summerhill House. It is named as such because it was once home to Queen’s Faculty of Medicine.
Did you know?
When Professor John Watson, from who our blog takes its name, first came to Queen’s he commented that the Old Medical Building is “irredeemably ugly.”