Chancellor’s Residence

The President’s Residence was built in 1936 and was part of the PWA Project 812. Extensive landscaping of campus was also included in this project.

Francis A. Thomas was the first school president to live in this house. He designed the house to save on costs; however, the large brick home (5,805 square feet) cost $28,908.90 to build. When President Thomas arrived at the school in 1928 he said the school had “the ugliest campus of any educational institution” in any of the continents.  The completion of this residence was part of his effort to bring the appearance of the campus in line with quality of the academics being offered.

The President’s Residence, now called the Chancellor’s House, remains basically unchanged and is still in use today.  The Chancellor, currently Frank Gilmore, offers tours of the home during the annual Christmas Stroll and many social functions are held in the yard and/or on the first floor of the home.