You may be tempted to think of its dusty smells, dim lighting, and whirring hums in the middle of the night from the mainframe.
Think again. On Aug. 11, Trinity University officially reopened the newly renovated Ewing Halsell Center, an anchor in the Chapman-Halsell-Dicke Complex. This reimagined building is now the dedicated home of the Departments of Classical Studies, History, and Philosophy.
The Ewing Halsell Center, which originally opened in 1968, was the 41st and last building that famed architect O’Neil Ford designed as part of Trinity’s Centennial Program, and it is one of 26 buildings on campus that are part of Trinity’s National Historic District. It was also the original home to the University’s first computer, an IBM System/360 Model 44, which at that time was considered the height of state-of-the-art technology.
The Halsell Center renovation was made possible through the generosity of the Ewing Halsell Foundation and other philanthropists.
“When Trinity opened this building in 1968, this current campus wasn’t even 20 years old, yet even then, Trinity was building for the future,” President Danny Anderson said during the ribbon-cutting ceremony. “We give thanks to a half-century’s worth of ideas exchanged and knowledge gained within these walls. May this center continue to serve as a vessel for oceans of opportunities for many years to come.”
GET TO KNOW THE NEW HALSELL CENTER
Study and collaborative spaces now dot the halls of the Halsell Center.
left: The Halsell Center Ribbon Cutting was held in August 2021. right: A clipping from a newspaper shows Halsell's mainframe circa 1968.
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