Continuing our series on the University of Wyoming’s building history, we’re here to share the tales behind some of UW’s treasured structures. The Aven Nelson Building, the fifth-oldest existing building on campus, is significant today as a hub for botany research but also because it originally housed UW’s library.

Grace Raymond Hebard, who plays a part in so many UW tales, also has a role here. When she arrived on campus in 1891, the institution consisted of one building—the “University Building” (now Old Main). With excitement, she made it her first mission to find the library. A custodian led her to Room #17 and “with a grand gesture,” he exclaimed, “This is the Library!”

Hebard was nonplussed, noting, “[It was] a room without table, chair, desk, shelves, book-case, blackboard, curtain, only three sacks of Government books piled in a pyramid in the center of the floor!” In another room she found “an unusual collection of rare, old books” that had been given to the university by a descendant of the American statesman Henry Clay. This was the sum total of UW’s library five years after its founding in 1886.

Hebard was a force of nature who took on the unofficial role of librarian in 1894, working without pay while also serving as secretary of the Board of Trustees and taking on other administrative and teaching roles at the university. She established a rudimentary library cataloging system in that tiny, locked room, which was never meant as a library space.

By 1908, she was recognized as the official librarian and navigated the library’s growth within Old Main, relocating it room by room. When she left the librarian position in 1919, UW had more than 40,000 catalogued volumes.

Despite this growth, the long-awaited realization of a purpose-built library building remained elusive, as highlighted in Hebard’s own reflections at the building’s dedication:

Yet with this increase there was a constant need for a real, just a real library. Each year the Librarian had been promised a new building. Periodically the pleas to postpone the Library building were made to the Librarian. ‘Would she be patient if the Mechanical Building were first erected?’ She would. ‘Would she then wait until the Science Hall was constructed?’ She agreed. ‘Then Merica (Women’s) Hall?’ She assented. ‘The Gymnasium must come next.’ She approved. ‘The Agricultural Building was an imperative need.’ She concurred. ‘Hoyt Hall (women’s dormitory) simply had to be built.’ She acquiesced. ‘Buildings on the Farms must be constructed.’ She did not demur. ‘A Music Hall was needed.’ She agreed. ‘Were not a Rural School Building and a Greenhouse necessities?’ She raised no objections. ‘Would she once more wait?’ She reluctantly nodded an affirmative, for surely the time had now arrived for the construction of a long deferred library building, but no, the Power Plant must be built and this seemed reasonable, and at last like a long deferred and eagerly expected Christmas the next building was really and truly to be this noble edifice, which is dedicated this afternoon. Santa Claus has actually arrived!

At last, the university’s leaders had recognized the need for a proper, permanent home for its library. And had the funds to do make it a reality. In the 1920s, most Western states lacked funds for building projects. But UW’s new library benefitted from financial foresight of F.O. Sawin, an often overlooked figure at the university. Sawin, hired in the 1880s to select the university’s “land grant” lands, arrived in Wyoming from Kansas in 1872. He was the son of UW’s first mathematics professor. Appointed by Hoyt and Governor F.E. Warren in 1886, Sawin’s selections included mineral-rich lands like the Big Muddy Oilfield near Glenrock. The discovery of the “University Well” in 1916 brought substantial royalties to UW, funding the construction of the library building and the Half Acre Gym (a future story!).

The resulting library, designed by Wilbur Hitchcock, received acclaim for its beauty. When it was complete, UW historian Wilson Clough reported:

To alumni and faculty, as they gazed about the light, spacious quarters, scientifically ventilated and accessible, a dream seemed to have come true. With a home and a trained staff, the library moved into its true place as the center of University life.

The building also provided accommodations for academic departments needing permanent space. For instance, the top floor east was the first home of the UW College of Law, which had been formed in 1920. 

Hebard’s speech clearly demonstrates the instrumental role she played in nurturing UW’s library from its humble origins to an expansive, catalogued collection of 40,000 volumes. Yet, in celebrating the new building, Hebard made sure in her speech to share credit with the university presidents, trustees, state leaders, and donors who supported its construction. But special praise was reserved for key ally Dr. Aven Nelson, who served as university president and advocated tirelessly for a proper library space.

Nelson, a renowned botanist specializing in Rocky Mountain plants, held several significant roles at UW. Initially hired as an English professor, a staffing error led him to become a biology professor and librarian, teaching a diverse array of subjects. It wasn’t until the establishment of agriculture and horticulture programs in 1891 that Nelson discovered his passion, ultimately becoming revered as “The Botanist,” known for his expertise in botany and horticulture.

When Coe Library on campus opened in 1957, an opportunity came to reinvent UW’s former library for new uses. The building underwent major renovation and, in 1959-1960, the Department of Botany and the Rocky Mountain Herbarium, which occupies the entire third floor, were moved into what is now the Aven Nelson Building. The building now also houses the U.S. Forest Service National Herbarium, the W.G. Solheim Mycological Herbarium, and the Louis O. and Terua P. Williams Conservatory, which is home to more than 600 tropical, neotropical, temperate and arid species from around the world. A fitting tribute for the iconic Nelson.

The Aven Nelson building is one of a few structures on campus on the National Register of Historic Places. Because of that it cannot be modified on the exterior to change its original appearance. When upgrades were needed in the 2000s, such as replacing the aluminum-framed windows from the late 1950s, these modifications necessitated installing wood-framed windows to maintain fidelity to the building’s initial design.

Despite the admonition never to change any aspect of the exterior, one piece of the building regularly receives alterations. A cornerstone is etched with a quote from Francis Bacon that reads, “Reading maketh a full man.” Defacements over the years have suggested another statement. Join us for the next chapter in our exploration of UW’s architectural history as we learn of the life and work of Wilbur Hitchcock, a talented homegrown architect. Discover his legacy, which includes the Aven Nelson Building and various other structures that grace UW and the wider Wyoming landscape.

Also, be sure to check out the AHC’s virtual exhibit “Keeping History Alive: 136 Years of Progress” to see a combination of historic photos from the Center’s collections with photos of campus taken in 2022. You’ll see how the campus has changed and stayed the same over time. For additional perspectives on campus development and architecture, explore our exhibit “University of Wyoming: A Brief History of Campus.”