By: Jessica Hamilton
Located on the west edge of campus, Van Wormer Hall stands strong with 126 years of history. It was the very first library at the University of Cincinnati, at one point holding 108,699 volumes. You may know it best for its 30-foot glass dome crowning the building which is fitted with LCD lights to glow during the night and let light fill the interior during the day. You likely know much less about the person behind the name Van Wormer.
Asa Van Wormer was a son of Dutch immigrants, building wealth through the dairy and egg industry. He lived a life of work after his father died of cholera when he was fourteen, only receiving 9 months of traditional schooling. At age 22, Asa married Julia Ann Sagerty, who he would love until the end. They never had children and he would retire in 1885. Their estate totaled approximately $500,000 or around 17 million adjusted for today’s inflation. Unfortunately, Julia would pass October 24th, 1898 leaving Asa all alone.
A year later, The University received 1,000 shares of Cincinnati Street Railroad Company which would equal $50,000 then. It was to be dedicated to a library in honor of his wife, Julia. Even when costs exceeded expectations by $14,000, Van Wormer covered all remaining costs. His goal was to give back to his community in a way that he wasn’t given the opportunity for, a chance to get an education.
The architect was Samuel Hannaford & Sons, who is responsible for many of the most known landmarks in Cincinnati like the Music Hall, the Cincinnati Observatory, and the Cincinnati City Hall. He drew much of the building’s most prevalent details from Greek temples. This includes the two towering ionic pillars at the building’s entrance, pointed pediments, and cornices lining the roof. The building was once even home to the university’s first bookstore, a proposition brought about by a trio of female students in 1904.
The library would open in 1901 and adjourned with painted portraits of Asa & Julia Van Wormer. Asa would live to see its completion, dying at the age of 91 in 1909. With his passing, the library itself held a 30-day mourning period in respect of his donation and impact. Paintings of the two Van Wormers are still a part of the University of Cincinnati’s Fine Art Collection today.
By 1916, Van Wormer Hall was struggling to keep the vast amount of volumes, transitioning the building into a multi-use space of classrooms, smaller subject-specific libraries, and offices. Despite this, the amount of volumes would increase by 38,000 in the next 14 years. Today, Van Wormer is home to graduate offices, as well as offices for the Senior Vice President and the Provost.
It received its first major renovation in 1930, where the dome was removed due to structural issues, and spaces where light once streamed through were closed. It was not until the 2005 renovation, that we would see the return of the dome. The original design was a replica of the dome of St. Peter’s Basilica in Vatican City. This vision was returned with the renovation as well as the reintroduction of the open multi-level atrium space.
In 2005, former University Architect Ron Kull would bring along the project with a focus on restoring the building for generations to come. Beyer Blinder Belle Architects and Planners of New York were brought in specifically for their knowledge of restoration and upkeep of historical buildings. This includes iconic buildings like Grand Central Station, Ellis Island, and New York City Hall.
The restoration and renovation would end up costing $10.7 million. The update brought more 21st-century technology into the space as well as preserving historical detailing. Much importance was also placed on reinforcing the exterior, as the sandstone the building was made out of had been worn down by the forces of time and weather. The renovation was completed in 2006.
For those entering the building, the glass dome will light up the majority of the building. Take a moment to enjoy intricate railing designs and granite detailing. Give yourself a moment to soak in the history of a building servicing thousands of students for thousands of years before you, all made possible by Asa Van Wormer.
Straight Links:
https://libraries.uc.edu/libraries/arb/collections/university-archives/buildings.html
https://magazine.uc.edu/issues/1013/van_wormer.html
https://books.google.com/books?id=uQg9XG6I9CsC&q=vas+you+ever+in+zinzinnati&pg=PA33#v=onepage&q=hannaford&f=false (page 12, 33-34)
https://www.loc.gov/item/03000859/ (pages 240-247)
https://www.beyerblinderbelle.com/projects/sectors/historic_preservation
APA:
Beyer Blinder Belle (n.d.). Historic Preservation. Beyer Blinder Belle. https://www.beyerblinderbelle.com/projects/sectors/historic_preservation
Grace, K. (2012). Legendary Locals of Cincinnati. Arcadia Publishing. https://books.google.com/books?id=uQg9XG6I9CsC&q=vas+you+ever+in+zinzinnati&pg=PA33#v=onepage&q=hannaford&f=false
Hand, G. (n.d.). Modest man of honor nearly overlooked. UC Magazine. https://magazine.uc.edu/issues/1013/van_wormer.html
Heinrich, D. (n.d.). History of Van Wormer Library. UC Archives. https://magazine.uc.edu/issues/1013/van_wormer/jcr%3acontent/MainContent/download/file.res/C%3a%5cfakepath%5cHistory%20of%20Van%20Wormer%20Library.pdf
Kraft, J. (2014, January 7). History: Unassuming philanthropist funded UC’s Van Wormer Library. The Enquirer. https://www.cincinnati.com/story/news/2014/01/07/history-unassuming-philanthropist-funded-ucs-van-wormer-library/4355071/
Shotwell, J. B. (1902) A history of the schools of Cincinnati. The School Life Company. Retrieved from the Library of Congress, https://www.loc.gov/item/03000859/.
University of Cincinnati (n.d.). UC Buildings. University of Cincinnati Libraries.
https://libraries.uc.edu/libraries/arb/collections/university-archives/buildings.html
Webber, C. T. (1872). Julia Ann Van Wormer [Painting]. UC Art Collective. https://artcollection.uc.edu/mDetail.aspx?rID=198&db=objects&dir=UCARTCOLL&osearch=van%2520wormer&list=res&rname=&rimage=&page=1
Photo by Warren LeMay