Space in this building

History

Agricultural Hall, as Curtiss Hall was first known, had an interesting history even before its doors opened in 1912.

The Iowa legislature in 1902 provided a tax levy for improvements at Iowa State, and on the basis of that funding the Iowa State Board of Trustees approved plans for construction of Agricultural Hall. However, a greater need for a new Central Building (Beardshear Hall) arose almost immediately, and the Board decided to postpone the building of Agricultural Hall.

In 1904, when it became apparent that funding for Beardshear Hall had been secured, the architect for Agricultural Hall was retained, in 1905 designs were approved, and in February 1906 the first bids were received. Those bids proved to be too high, so the architectural plans were revised and new bids were taken in August of 1906. A bid was accepted for a plan that didn't include an assembly hall east wing for the building. In May of 1907, authorization for the east wing was made with a revised contract for construction. Just four months later, however, all construction was halted when the contractor was declared bankrupt.

Work soon resumed under the bonding company and the building was completed in June of 1909. However, Agricultural Hall had to stand unoccupied until 1912, when accounts with the surety company were finally settled.