Across America, there are countless colleges, universities, and other educational institutions; at nearly all of them, there is some building or complex named after a great contributor that houses the school’s athletic center. Whether it be the University of Connecticut’s Gampel Pavilion or Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium for the University of Texas, schools often recognize some of their most notable members through a dedicational naming of a sporting center. Here at Stevens, the same stands true. Over 100 years ago, in 1915, Stevens needed a place to house their sporting teams. Through the donations of one man, there was a new home of the Red and the Gray: William Hall Walker Gymnasium.
William Hall Walker, born in Michigan in 1846, grew up in a world brimming with the desire to change. Despite his father’s wishes, Walker got an apprenticeship in Connecticut before moving to New York City to work for Morgan Iron Works while attending the Cooper Institute. However, Walker quickly rose above his station using mechanical and scientific, eventually achieving fame through an invention known as Walker’s Pocket Camera, a precursor to the Kodak camera. As he grew older, so did his reputation. Traveling the world and taking out many patents, Walker became acquainted with Stevens Institute of Technology through a mutual interest in design, engineering, and innovation.
At Stevens, the school was nearing its 50th anniversary. With multiple buildings, a decorated staff, and graduates of distinction in academia, industry, and the government, Stevens needed a building to house its athletic teams. Although initially for a Laboratory of Mechanical Arts, Walker agreed that his gift of $100,000 could be applied to the construction of a gymnasium on campus.
The plan was to construct a typical, rectangular gymnasium on the path connecting Castle Stevens to Morton Labs. However, since the selected plot of land was trapezoidal, a rectangular building would have been awkward. The innovation university’s solution was a new, elliptical design for the structure that concaves more with the topography of Castle Point. Despite the increased cost of curves, the ellipse would allow fewer lineal feet of walling to enclose the structure, argued architects Ludlow (who graduated from Stevens in 1892) and Peabody.
Ludlow and Peabody designed the structure in a classical revival structure based on ancient Greek and Roman designs. The exterior of the building was made of variegated deep-toned brick with raked joints, lime and terracotta stone trim, and a green shingled tile roof. The first floor housed locker rooms, trophy rooms, washing rooms, offices, and a large practice room. The second floor housed the main gymnasium under a trussed ceiling 27 feet above with a gallery running track. Additionally, on the south side of the building, there was a swimming pool heated by sunlight through a reflective roof.
Walker gymnasium is still standing and was placed on the National Register of Historic Places on May 9, 2019, for its significance in architecture. So to anyone who is enjoying a badminton match in Walker, remember so were the Stevens students of 100 years ago.
