National Register of Historic Places

Pearsons Hall of Science

Beloit, Rock County, Wisconsin
Listed
June 29, 1980
Type
Building
Period
Industrial
Ref No.
80000190

About this property

The Pearsons Hall of Science was built in 1892 on the campus of Beloit College in Beloit, Wisconsin. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1980 because it was designed by the firm of Daniel Burnham and because it marks an expansion of the science curriculum at the college. The hall was built using funds donated by and named after Dr. D. K. Pearsons, a Quaker man from Pawnee, Illinois. Pearsons had once passed through Beloit on the way to Janesville, Wisconsin and saw the college being built. He was so affected by the sight that it inspired him to donate $100,000 to the school nearly forty years later. The hall was used as the school's science center until 1968. Currently, the hall houses meeting rooms, dining facilities, student lounges, student service offices, a mailroom, a radio station, a computer and printing lounge, student government, publication offices, and Grace's Place. It was officially renamed the Jeffris-Wood Campus Center, named after attorney and business man Pierpont J. E. Wood and his wife, Helen Jeffris Wood. On campus, it is still generally referred to as Pearsons Hall. Renovations to wiring, plumbing, flooring, ventilation, and equipment occurred in 1931. This renovation also saw the addition of a skylight. A second renovation in 1985 by architect Edward Ware was completed and the building was rededicated as the Jeffris-Wood Campus Center. The bookstore was moved from Smith building to Jeffris-Wood Campus Center after this renovation. In the summer of 2024, the first floor of Pearsons was renovated to reopen DK's, a grab-and-go style dining facility. As of September 2024, the renovations are complete.

Location

Beloit, Rock County, Wisconsin
42.50363, -89.03163

Categories

EDUCATIONSCIENCEARCHITECTURE
National Register nomination ›
Sources

Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).

Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

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Nearby Historic Sites

Beloit Power Plant
Industrial
0.1 mi
Rasey House
Industrial
0.2 mi
Near East Side Historic District
Listed
0.2 mi
First Congregational Church
Early Republic
0.2 mi
Emerson Hall
Industrial
0.3 mi

Questions about this property

When was Pearsons Hall of Science listed on the National Register?

Pearsons Hall of Science was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on June 29, 1980.

What type of historic resource is Pearsons Hall of Science?

Pearsons Hall of Science is classified as a building in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Pearsons Hall of Science?

The period of significance for Pearsons Hall of Science is recorded as the industrial era.

Can I research the history near Pearsons Hall of Science?

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