Designing the University of Wyoming: The Architecture of Agricultural Education

When the University of Wyoming opened its doors in 1887, agriculture was more than just another field of study—it was a cornerstone of the institution’s mission. The Morrill Act of 1862 had established land-grant universities across America with a clear purpose: to provide practical education and support agricultural research. UW would fulfill this mission for the state of Wyoming, bringing agricultural education and research to its communities.

In those first pioneering years, the College of Agriculture, established in 1891, didn’t need much physical space on campus—because most of its work happened in the field. The real laboratories were the experiment stations scattered across Wyoming’s varied landscape: Laramie, Lander, Saratoga, Sheridan, Sundance, and Wheatland. While few students were enrolled in formal college programs, these stations were buzzing with activity, tackling the practical challenges faced by Wyoming’s farmers and ranchers.

Man holds up his hat to show the heigh of the barley. Another holds a label reading “Hanna Barley, Spring Plowing.” This 1911 photo was taken at the Laramie Agricultural Experiment Station. Box 20, B.C. Buffum papers, Coll. No. 400055.

By 1912, it was clear that agricultural education needed a proper home on campus. Enter William Dubois, the architect who would leave an indelible mark on UW’s campus. Having already completed Merica Hall in 1908, Dubois designed what would become a pioneering structure in campus architecture—Agricultural Hall.

Construction of Agricultural Hall, 1913. S.H. Knight Collection, Coll. No. 142, Negative No. D1-2403.

Agricultural Hall, shown around 1928. This west facing building fronted Ninth Street and had a drive off the street. By 1941, the facility was struggling to accommodate growing student enrollment and equipment needs. Box 14, Ludwig & Svenson Studio Photographs, Coll. No. 167, Box 14.

When its cornerstone was laid on January 24, 1913, few might have guessed that this building would introduce an architectural tradition that would influence campus design for decades to come. While earlier campus buildings featured red brick, Agricultural Hall broke new ground with its tan pressed brick exterior, setting a precedent that future university buildings would follow.

But Agricultural Hall’s innovations weren’t just skin-deep. Of the five earliest surviving campus buildings, it was the only one constructed with fireproof concrete and steel, rather than wood. Its spacious classrooms, flooded with natural light from large, paired windows, and its generous corridors would prove remarkably adaptable over the decades—a testament to the forward-thinking design.

Agricultural Hall’s adaptability proved significant over time. Though the 1969 Pharmacy Building was initially planned with the hall’s demolition in mind—intending to create a courtyard where the historic building stood—these plans changed. Instead, a 2005 renovation project creatively connected Agricultural Hall and the Pharmacy Building into the Health Sciences Center.

Images showing current Health Sciences Center and the integration of Agricultural Hall. Photos from College of Health Sciences websites.

The integration preserved one of the university’s earliest academic buildings while demonstrating how historic structures can be adapted for contemporary needs. Today, Agricultural Hall’s west façade maintains its historical integrity, standing as testament to both William Dubois’s original design and thoughtful preservation efforts.

But long before Agricultural Hall found its new purpose in health sciences, the College of Agriculture faced its own expansion needs. By 1944, with World War II still raging but victory on the horizon, UW was already planning for the future. The impending G.I. Bill promised to bring waves of veterans seeking education, and the College of Agriculture needed room to grow. After years of planning and construction, 1949 saw the laying of the cornerstone for a new Agriculture Building on Prexy’s Pasture.

Designed by Frederick Hutchinson Porter, the new building bridged architectural eras. While it paid homage to the Collegiate Gothic style with its symmetrical composition and decorative stonework, its clean lines hinted at the modernist designs that would soon follow. By fall 1950, two units were open for use, though full occupancy wouldn’t be achieved until 1952.

The story didn’t end there. As the college grew from 300 students and 30 faculty in the early 1950s to 700 students and 120 faculty by 1982, the building grew with it. A massive six-story addition in 1981 more than doubled the building’s size, though some now view the addition’s towering presence and architectural disconnect from the original structure as unfortunate.

Agriculture building shown in 2015 with the 1980s addition looming in the background. Photo by Carol M. Highsmith. Library of Congress.

Campus view looking east, ca. 1982. Agricultural Hall is still untouched in its original place just north of the round Classroom Building in the bottom section of the photo, but the new Agriculture building with its addition is now in place on the north side of Prexy’s Pasture. Photo File: Colleges and Universities – University of Wyoming – Aerial and General Views.

Display iconography, such as this by sculptor Robert Russin on the Agriculture Building harkens back to the system of agriculture in the early twentieth century. Photo from page 81 of *University of Wyoming Historic Preservation Plan* by Megin Rux, July 2015.

Behind the main building, the agriculture complex once included a beloved campus fixture—a sales room where the university community could purchase cheese, ice cream, and other dairy products fresh from UW’s dairy farm. Though the sales room closed in the 1970s and was eventually demolished in 2013, many alumni still fondly remember its treats.

Today, the building houses not just classrooms and offices, but also the fascinating University of Wyoming Insect Museum, home to more than a million preserved specimens, including 400-year-old glacial remains of the now-extinct Rocky Mountain locust and 40-50 million-year-old insects preserved in amber. The UW Insect Gallery, located in room 4018 of the Agriculture building is the public-viewing area for the museum. The gallery is open weekdays from 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM.

Display of butterflies at the UW Insect Museum. The museum offers the only research collections of insects in the state of Wyoming. Photo from museum’s Facebook page.

UW’s agriculture buildings are more than just campus landmarks—they’re physical reminders of how agricultural education has evolved since 1887. From the innovative design of Agricultural Hall in 1913 to the massive expansion in 1981, each architectural decision reflected the changing needs of Wyoming’s agricultural community. While not every choice was universally praised (the towering 1981 addition being a notable example), these buildings have successfully adapted to serve generations of students and researchers.

Looking at these buildings now, it’s clear that they’ve done exactly what they were meant to do: provide a home for agricultural education in Wyoming, even as that education has grown far beyond what the original builders could have imagined.

Explore More Campus History

Want to see how Agricultural Hall and other historic UW buildings have evolved over the decades? Check out our virtual exhibit “Keeping History Alive: 136 Years of Progress,” which combines historic photos from the American Heritage Center’s collections with contemporary campus images to show how the University of Wyoming has changed—and stayed the same—since 1887. For even more about campus sites, visit our exhibit “University of Wyoming: A Brief History of Campus.”

From Old Main’s original tower to the architectural innovations that Agricultural Hall pioneered, discover the stories behind the buildings that shaped campus life.