Wagar Building, 1940-
From CSU's Sense of Place: A Campus History of Colorado's Land-Grant University, by James E. Hansen, Gordon A. Hazard, and Linda M. Meyer. Fort Collins, CO: Colorado State University, 2018.
Architects – Earl C. Morris of Frank W. Frewen & Earl C. Morris (1940 original), James M. Hunter and Associates (1957 addition)
Builder – Frank H. Jesser of Fort Collins did excavation of the site, Brown and Schrepferman Construction Company of Englewood, Colorado and WPA (original)
951 Amy Van Dyken Way
Designed by Earl C. Morris of the architectural firm of Frank W. Frewen & Earl C. Morris and funded in part by the WPA, construction started in December 1938 with the excavation being done by Frank H. Jesser of Fort Collins. In early 1939, the Brown-Schrepferman Construction Company of Englewood, Colorado began its work on the project. As work progressed it was decided to enlarge the basement to the full size of the building, thus adding additional classroom space. The building is considered to be “20th Century Institutional with International Influence” design.
On February 20, 1940, dozens of Veterinary alumni from around the country came to Fort Collins to dedicate their new building. The ceremony was held during the annual “Short Course for Veterinarians” held on the campus February 19 – 22, 1940. Dr. Isaac E. Newsom was Dean of Veterinary Medicine when this building was constructed as the Veterinary Medicine Building. Dean Emeritus, Dr. George H. Glover was a featured speaker at the dedication.
With the opening of the Glover Veterinary Hospital in 1950, the Department of Pathology of the School of Veterinary Medicine took over the building. A 17,239 square foot addition designed by James M. Hunter was constructed in 1957. It was again enlarged in 1962.
With the opening of the new Veterinary Teaching Hospital in January 1979 the building turned over to the College of Natural Resources. On October 20, 1979, during Homecoming, the building was renamed to honor Professor of Forestry John “Jack” Vernon Knox Wagar. The 81-year old Professor Emeritus spoke at the ceremony.
Today, the Wagar Building continues to operate as a home to the Department of Fish, Wildlife, and Conservation Biology, its Fish Laboratory in the basement, and the Colorado Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit.
Sources by Gordon Hazard
State Board of Agriculture Minutes, July 29, 1938, page 507.
State Board of Agriculture Minutes, August 23, 1938, page 512.
The Colorado State College Alumnus, July – August 1938, pages 1-2, vol. 19, numbers 1 and 2.
Rocky Mountain Collegian, September 15, 1938, page 1, vol. XLVIII, number 2.
Rocky Mountain Collegian, October 20, 1938, pages 1 and 6, vol. XLVIII, number 7.
State Board of Agriculture Minutes, November 2, 1938, page 546.
Rocky Mountain Collegian, November 3, 1938, page 1, col. 5, vol. XLVIII, number 9.
State Board of Agriculture Minutes, November 19, 1938, pages 547-550, 555.
State Board of Agriculture Minutes, December 14, 1938, pages 17-18.
State Board of Agriculture Minutes, February 15, 1939, pages 21-24.
State Board of Agriculture Executive Committee Minutes, March 18, 1939, pages 318-319, 321, vol. Sept. 1930 – Aug. 1940.
Rocky Mountain Collegian, May 4, 1939, page 5, vol. XLVIII, number 31.
The Colorado State College Alumnus, July – August 1939, page 6, vol. 20, numbers 1 and 2.
State Board of Agriculture Executive Committee Minutes, September 15, 1939, page 339, vol. Sept. 1930 – Aug. 1940.
Rocky Mountain Collegian, October 12, 1939, page 1, vol. XLIX, number 6.
State Board of Agriculture Minutes, January 6, 1940, page 110.
Rocky Mountain Collegian, February 1, 1940, page 1, vol. XLIX, number 19.
State Board of Agriculture Minutes, February 3, 1940, pages 114, 115 and 119
The Colorado State College Alumnus, February 1940, page 1, vol. 20, number 4.
Rocky Mountain Collegian, February 15, 1940, page 1, vol. XLIX, number 21.
Rocky Mountain Collegian, February 22, 1940, page 1, vol. XLIX, number 22.
State Board of Agriculture Minutes, March 15, 1940, pages 133 and 135.
The Colorado State College Alumnus, March 1940, page 10, vol. 20, number 5.
State Board of Agriculture Minutes, November 8, 1940, page 196.
“Long Range Development Program”, Report to the Colorado State Planning Commission, March 1952, page s14, 21, 28, 35 and campus maps, LD1145.8, A452, 1952, Archive.
Rocky Mountain Collegian, November 21, 1952, page 2, col. 3, vol. LXII, number 11.
State Board of Agriculture Minutes, June 22, 1956, page 49.
State Board of Agriculture Minutes, September 28, 1956, page 82.
State Board of Agriculture Minutes, November 9, 1956, pages 85-86 and 94.
Rocky Mountain Collegian, November 2, 1956, page 4, vol. LXV, number 13..
State Board of Agriculture Minutes, December 12, 1956, page 102.
Colorado State University Collegian, January 19, 1962 page 1, vol. LXX, number 51.
Colorado State University Collegian, October 9, 1962, page 1, vol. LXXI, number 10.
Colorado State University Collegian, April 20, 1965, page 1, vol. LXXIII, number 92.
“A History of Colorado State University 1870 – 1974”, by James E. Hansen II, 1974.
State Board of Agriculture Minutes, March 16, 1979, page 5-1.
Colorado State University Alumnus, July – September 1979, vol. 55, number 3, page 3, LH1.C68, v.55-61, inc. Archive.
CSU Comments, October 18, 1979, page 3, vol. 10, number 10.
Fort Collins Journal, October 18, 1979, page 9, vol. LXXXVIII, number 33.
CSU Comments, April 23, 1981, pages 1-2, vol. 11, number 29.
Colorado State University Comment, January 31, 1985, page 2, col. 3-4, vol. 15, number 20.
State Board of Agriculture Minutes, October 11, 1994, 1-8a-z 1-1u-w.
State Board of Agriculture Minutes, May 2, 1995, 1-12a-aa,1-1u-v.
Rocky Mountain Collegian, November 1, 1995, page 1, vol. 104, issue 57.
State Board of Agriculture Minutes, December 2, 1998.
Rocky Mountain Collegian, October 14, 2003, page 5, vol. 112, number 37.
“Visionary Leadership, the Memoirs of William E. Morgan”, page 94, by Connie Pheiffenberger, 2005.
“Democracy’s University – A History of Colorado State University 1970 – 2003” by James E. Hansen II, 2007, p. 72.
Colorado Office of Archaeology and Historic Preservation -
https://www.historycolorado.org/architects-colorado-biographical-series.
Rocky Mountain Collegian, April 14, 2016, page 8, vol. 125, number 47.
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