Building (Veterinary Science Building) is significant as a contributing structure to the University of Nevada Reno Historic District listed on the National Register of Historic Places on 25 February It contributes to the historic district through architectural style and location. The Dairy Building was designed by prominent Reno architect, Frederic J. DeLongchamps. The building as a dairy was part of the master plan for the university. It is significant for its association with the School of Agriculture and the Veterinary Science Department of the University of Nevada. University of Nevada/ Reno, Dairy Building (Veterinary Science Building) HABS No. NV-18A (Page 2 ) PART I. HISTORICAL INFORMATION A. Physical History: 1.
Date of erection: On April IB, the Board of Regents for the University of Nevada authorized the design and construction of a 36* x 90' Dairy Building, plans to be submitted by Architect DeLongchamps. Construction bids were submitted to the Board of Regents on June 12, and a contract was let with a completion date of October 1, The building was finished in December according to the Board of Regents Minutes. 2. Architect: Frederic Joseph DeLongchamps, a Reno-based architect designed the Dairy Building. An extensive collection of DeLongchamps drawings are housed at the Special Collections Department of the University of Nevada Reno Library. Eight sheets of the Dairy Building are part of the collection; copies are included in the field notes accompanying this report.
Frederic Joseph DeLongchamps was a well-known and a prolific architect in northern Nevada. His 500 plus designs include many prominent public, commercial, and private structures and many different building types and architectural styles. He worked in the classical styles, the period revival styles, and later in the Art Deco and Art Moderne styles. DeLongchamps' large volume of work is concentrated in Reno, his birthplace and where he maintained an office from to and in northern Nevada. DeLongchamps designed and remodelled many other buildings on the University of Nevada campus besides the Dairy building.
His original designs include: the Library the Education building Mining Experiment Station Mackay Science Hall the Gymnasium and Scrugham Engineering He remodelled the Mackay School of Mines in Manzanita Hall in and Mackay Science Hall in 3. Original and subsequent owners: The University of Nevada is responsible for the construction of the Dairy building and has owned it since construction. 4. Builder, contractor, suppliers: Friedhoff and Hoeffel was awarded the construction contract for the Dairy University of Nevada, Reno, . , ,. ^ Dairy Building (Veterinary Science Building) HABS No. NV-18A (Page 3 ) Building as the low bidder on June 12, by the Board of Regents. Savage Plumbing and Heating Company were contracted for the floor drains and plumbing. 5.
Original plans and construction: The original plans, a copy of which are part of the field notes which accompany this report, are housed in the DeLongchamps Collection in Special Collections, University of Nevada Reno Library, Reno, Nevada. The University Archives, also in the Library houses university documents which reference the Dairy Building including the Board of Regents minutes. The Board of Regents asked the Legislature for an appropriation of for the construction of the Dairy building. Four bids of between and were presented to the Board of Regents on June 12, The low bid of was accepted; however, the Chairman of the Board of Regents was authorised to arrange with the architect and contractor changes in the plans as may be necessary to keep the total cost to the appropriated.
A contemporary description of the building is included in Doten's History of the University of Nevada written in On page 117 is included the following paragraph. "In the Legislature granted funds for the Library building, of small size but excellent design, in which to house the most important department of the University. In the same session, funds were provided for the construction of a dairy building on the edge of the hollow east of the Campus. This is a small but substantial two-story brick structure which for several years housed the principal...
divisions of the College of Agriculture." The University of Nevada Catalog in described the building as having "laboratories for butter and ice cream making, a demonstration-room for hand separators, a cheese-curing room, and a refrigeration-room. The second story contains the lecture-room, testing laboratory, lockers for students, office, and laboratory for cheese making. The equipment is of the latest design, with facilities for instruction in all branches of dairy manufacture." 6. Alterations and additions: In the interior was remodeled when the Veterinary Control Service and some of the Agricultural Experiment Station staff moved in. (Source: National Register University of Nevada, Renof Dairy Building (Veterinary Science Building) HABS No.
NV-18A (Page 4 ) nomination) In a new sink, drainboard, partition and door were added to one of the labs on the upper floor. (Source: drawing provided by Physical Plant, UNR) In new ductwork was installed in the basement level. (Source: drawing provided by Physical Plant, UNR) In the basement level spaces were divided further with the addition of four new walls creating smaller rooms. (Source: drawing provided by Physical Plant, UNR) In a darkroom in the building was converted to an Embryo Transplantation Laboratory. Minor changes were made to the small room including new wall cabinets with sliding glass doors and plastic laminate counters and new lighting. (Source: drawing provided by Physical Plant, UNR) B.
Historical Context The Dairy Building is located on the University of Nevada Reno campus within the historic district. The historic district encompasses a 40 acre area with thirteen contributing buildings dating from to and five non contributing buildings. The Dairy Building, built in as the first building devoted to the School of Agriculture, contributes to the historic district and is located on the eastern edge of the district. History of Agriculture at the University of Nevada The Nevada Constitution provided specific plans for higher education in agriculture (along with mining and mechanical arts) and the Morrill Land Grant Act promoted agricultural education but studies at the University in agriculture lagged behind other areas, especially mining.
The Agricultural Experiment Station was created in the same year as the University in Reno began college-level instruction and soon became the most active single unit on campus with the first significant research conducted in the name of the University of Nevada. Funded with federal dollars and given a farm on Valley Road by Washoe County, the station served as the agricultural portion of the university until The Station and the University were separate legal entities and the combination of stricter federal regulations separating research and instruction after and the hiring of Samuel B. Doten as director of the station in separated the Experiment Station from the University of Nevada, Reno, Dairy Building (Veterinary Science Building) HABS No. NV-18A (Page 5 ) University.
The University was left with developing a separate program for agriculture. Before the agricultural instructional program was a skeleton with never more than six students in the program at once. The University developed a sequence of courses in agriculture in In Charles S. Knight, agronomist and teacher arrived on campus and became the first Dean of Agriculture in when the position was created. In the university approved the funds for the Dairy Building, the first agricultural building outside of the Experiment Station.
Pressure from the state's farmers and the drive of Dean Knight created the reality of an agricultural program at the university and led to the construction of the much larger Agriculture Building in The energy and enthusiasm of Dean Knight is credited with doubling the students in the School of Agriculture between and The Dairy Department was created in as part of the School of Agriculture to give "farm boys a thorough training in the manufacture of butter and cheese and in the production of sanitary market milk." The Dairy building was the site of this training. With the construction of the Agriculture Building in two buildings on campus took the load which previously was carried solely by the Dairy Building.
Agricultural Extension staff occupied part of the second floor in By Buildings and Grounds moved into the basement, precluding further dairy functions. By the building was called the Extension Building. In the building was known as the Experiment Station Building after Veterinary Control Service and part of the Agricultural Experiment Station moved in. From until the building was abandoned recently it has been known as the Veterinary Science Building, PART II. ARCHITECTURAL INFORMATION A. General Statement: 1. Architectural character: The Dairy Building is a two story, red brick and rubble constructed building with six-over-six light, double hung windows and wide horizontal panel doors with transoms.
The utilitarian building is topped with a hipped, shingled roof finished with metal boxed cornice. University of Nevada, Feno, Dairy Building (Ve-terinary Science Building) HABS No. NV-18A (Page 6 ) 2. Condition of fabric: The overall condition of the building is good. The building has been in use and has been maintained until recently. B. Description of Exterior: 1. Overall dimensions: The rectangular, 90' by 36* building has two floors, a basement which is exposed to the east and a main floor which is exposed to all points. 2. Foundations: The foundation consists of thick poured concrete stem walls and 2' thick footings. 3. Walls: The upper story walls are red brick laid in common bond with lime-based mortar. Rows of vertical brick serve as window headers and sills.
The lower story walls are rubble laid with beaded mortar joints. A vertical row of bricks serves as a sill course and flat, radiating brick window heads top the lower openings. 4. Structural systems, framing: The exterior concrete walls faced in stone and brick are load bearing and support the roof trusses constructed of 2x6 and 1x6 members on center. Center posts and a beam of 5 members support first floor joists set 16" on center. The basement floor is poured concrete. 5. Porches, stoops, balconies, bulkheads: Not applicable. The east and -the south entrances into the basement and the one entrance into the first floor west have no porch, stoop or hood. 6.
Chimneys: An exterior red brick chimney was added to the building after the original construction and is attached to the southern elevation at the southwest corner. 7. Openings: a. Doorways and doors: The west door into the upper story has five horizontal panels and transom above. The two doors into the basement have 3 horizontal panels below a light and a transom above. b. Windows and shutters: The windows are six-over-six light, double-hung wooden windows. The window frames are painted white and the sash and screens are painted black. University of Nevada, Reno, Dairy Building (Veterinary Science Building) HABS No. NV-18A (Page 7 ) 8. Roof: a. Shape, covering: The hipped roof is asphalt shingled. b. Cornice, eaves: The boxed metal cornice finishes the overhanging eaves. C.
Description of Interior: 1. Floor plans: Both floors have a central hall with rooms to both sides; however, there is neither mimicry nor symmetry. 2. Stairways: There is one, open, straight run stairway with a landing half way. It has handrails on each side and a solid balustrade and newel post, both with wooden caps. 3. Flooring: The basement floor is concrete with drains; the upper floor is covered with linoleum. 4. Wall and ceiling finish: The basement walls are unfinished concrete or plastered; the ceiling is beaded board. The upper story has plastered walls and ceilings with textured finish. 5. Openings: a. Doorways and doors: The interior doors are wood with five horizontal panels and are framed by trim with comerblocks. b.
Windows: All windows are trimmed with a sill and plain trim with cornerblocks. 6. Decorative features and trim: The baseboard throughout the building is 8" with a radiused upper edge and with quarter round at the base. 7. Hardware: The doors have plain brass doorknobs with key holes. New locksets have been added to some doors. 8. Mechanical equipment: a. Heating, air conditioning, ventilation: The heating system is a gas or oil fired, hot water, radiator University of Nevada, Reno, Dairy Building (Veterinary Science Building) HABS No. NV-18A (Page 8 ) system. The boilers are located in the central heat plant. Decorative radiators are throughout the building. b. Lighting: The overhead lighting are presently bare lamps or fluorescent tubes. c.
Plumbing: There is a lavatory and commode on each floor. The second floor facility is shown on the original drawings. The original drawings also show a sink in the southwest section of the first or basement floor. Presently there are two additional sinks on the second floor and a shower in the basement. 9. Original furnishings: No original furnishings found. D. Site 1. General setting and orientation: The Dairy building is located in the eastern most row of buildings on the university campus, east of the university quad. An east dipping grade exposes one story on the west elevation and two stories on the east. 2. Historic landscape design: No evidence of any significant landscape design around the Dairy Building. 3.
Outbuildings: No record of outbuildings associated with the Dairy Building. Part III. SOURCES OF INFORMATION A. Architectural drawings: Seven original drawings are housed in the DeLongchamps Collection, Special Collections, University of Nevada Library, Reno, Nevada. Alterations to the building from the late to the present are housed in the Physical Plant building, University of Nevada Reno. B. Historic views: Historic views of the campus which could include the dairy buildings are housed in the University Archives, University of Nevada Reno Library, Reno, Nevada. C. Interviews: No interviews were conducted. D.
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