Learning about the history of the campus, makes me feel connected to all that's happening here today. For that reason, I wanted to share some history about a building that needs so much financial and volunteer support right now: Allen Memorial Hall.
Richard H. Allen Memorial Hall was designed by New York architects, Ludlow and Peabody and was constructed as part of the Sheldon Jackson Campus in 1910-1911. The building was named in memory of an avid supporter of the work at the Sitka Training School (later to become Sheldon Jackson School.)
The original building included four classrooms and a gymnasium, and served as the center of academic activity for the school. Allen Hall was used for everything from home economics and gym classes to the chapel services and school assemblies.
A remodeling project began in 1953. School boys tore out the flooring, which was replaced with linoleum tile and the stage was enlarged. Allen was used by the school and by the Sitka community for plays, chapel services, weddings, lectures, performances, and other events.
The Sitka Summer Music Festival, which started on the Sheldon Jackson Campus in 1972, has roots in Allen Memorial Hall. The Sitka Fine Arts Camp used the stage for its classes when it began in 1973.
In 1991, the school stopped using Allen Auditorium, and in 1994 it came under threat of being torn down. Concerned community members intervened: Sitka artist, Rebecca Poulson, created this wood engraving and sent it to the president of the college as a potential gift to donors. Others established the Allen Memorial Preservation Project Inc. This non-profit spearheaded a campaign, independent of the college's own fundraising, to save the building from demolition.
The Sheldon Jackson Campus was designated a National Historic Landmark in 2001. Richard H. Allen Memorial Hall is identified as one of the historic "contributing buildings" of the landmark.
Another renovation and the expansion of Allen Memorial Hall began on July 30, 2001. The school closed before its completion.
Ten years later, ignoring dust and cobwebs, the building looked as though workers had walked away just the day before: tools, lumber and equipment were left in their places.
We need your help: Among the materials left behind from 2001 is an entire elevator (in pieces of course.) The cost to get it installed is $40,000. We had to commit and give the go ahead to install the elevator before the equipment goes out of code. It will happen 8 weeks from now, during the first week in May. Your donation today will help us save the cost of replacement equipment (over one hundred thousand dollars.)
Thank you to those that have already contributed!
