One of my favorite buildings on the Ohio State campus is Orton Hall. It was built in 1893 and is the oldest building on campus. Its stone construction, high arches, and stunning bell tower give it the appearance of a c
athedral dedicated to science. Orton Hall houses the main offices for the Earth Sciences department, but it does much more than that. Not just a boring office building, Orton Hall
contains a library and a museum too. In fact, the entire building is practically a museum. The building was named in honor of Dr. Edward Orton, a professor of geology and first president of Ohio State, and references to geology are everywhere. The most obvious reference is the makeup of the building itself. Rather than being constructed out of brick, marble, or concrete like the rest of the buildings on campus, Orton Hall is made of stone blocks quarried throughout Ohio. This gives it a natural, timeless look; as if it was meant to be there and always will be. Everything about this building seems old-fashioned, but in a good way. It has a classic
feel to it that shows modern technology isn’t necessary to learn as long as you have a devotion to the subject you’re studying. Orton Hall is wholly devoted to geology and has been since its beginning. The treasures collected within the museum and displayed throughout the interior, relics such as meteorites, geodes, dinosaur bones, and even a complet
e skeleton from a giant sloth, all serve to enrich Orton Hall and give it character most other buildings on campus lack. If you’ve never been here before, I encourage you to take some time and see it for yourself. You’re sure to leave with an appreciation for the beauty, history, and knowledge this place has to offer.
athedral dedicated to science. Orton Hall houses the main offices for the Earth Sciences department, but it does much more than that. Not just a boring office building, Orton Hall 
contains a library and a museum too. In fact, the entire building is practically a museum. The building was named in honor of Dr. Edward Orton, a professor of geology and first president of Ohio State, and references to geology are everywhere. The most obvious reference is the makeup of the building itself. Rather than being constructed out of brick, marble, or concrete like the rest of the buildings on campus, Orton Hall is made of stone blocks quarried throughout Ohio. This gives it a natural, timeless look; as if it was meant to be there and always will be. Everything about this building seems old-fashioned, but in a good way. It has a classic
feel to it that shows modern technology isn’t necessary to learn as long as you have a devotion to the subject you’re studying. Orton Hall is wholly devoted to geology and has been since its beginning. The treasures collected within the museum and displayed throughout the interior, relics such as meteorites, geodes, dinosaur bones, and even a complet
e skeleton from a giant sloth, all serve to enrich Orton Hall and give it character most other buildings on campus lack. If you’ve never been here before, I encourage you to take some time and see it for yourself. You’re sure to leave with an appreciation for the beauty, history, and knowledge this place has to offer.
Hey, I know this place! Isn't it right between the ovals? I mean, couple buildings away from the Hagerty Hall. I see it everytime I pass by it on my bike when I go to work or class. I never had a moment to take a look at it. Maybe I thought it was some kind of a church which I would never take a look at unless I'm there for a wedding. lol.
ReplyDeleteI agree with your opinion that stone construction does give me a feeling that it looks natural and timeless. Still it looks modern and solid, even though it was built in 1893! Cool!
Orton Hall is no doubt a nice feature to our campus. I can see why it still stands while many other similar buildings would have been torn down in favor of more modern structures. It's contents are interesting too--meteorites and dinosaurs? You can't really beat that!
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