Southwestern's Oldest Building Turns 100

September 2, 1998

Birthdays are abounding in Georgetown this year. While the city is commemorating its 150th anniversary, Southwestern University is celebrating the 100th birthday of its main administration building, the Cullen Building.

The Hugh Roy and Lillie Cullen Building, one of the most recognizable buildings in Central Texas, dates back to September 8, 1898, when its first cornerstone was laid. Completed in 1900, it opened as the Administration Building, housing many facets of University life, including academic and administrative offices, classrooms, the library, the chapel, a gymnasium, and even residence and dining facilities.

In 1977, it was renamed in memory of the late Hugh Roy and Lillie Cullen, distinguished citizens and exemplary philanthropists of Texas, after a renovation made possible through grants by The Cullen Foundation of Houston. Its architectural design is Richardsonian Romanesque, constructed in native Texas limestone. The Cullen Building is included in the National Registry of Historic Sites.

One of the Cullen Building's most intriguing elements is its tower, accessed by way of a spiral staircase from a third floor office. The unique tower room, with windows on all four sides, not only offers a bird's eye view of campus and the region, but also features stone walls covered in signatures of former students dating back to the early 1900s.

A commemorative event was held on campus in the Cullen Auditorium on September 8, 1998. David Geoffrey Woodcock, distinguished professor of architecture and director of the Historic Resources Imaging Laboratory at Texas A&M University's College or Architecture delivered a lecture and slide presentation on the architectural influences of both Southwestern and the Georgetown community. Commemorative music composed by Eric Van Danen, director of public relations, and performed by the Southwestern University Chorale under the direction of Kenneth Sheppard, chair and professor of the Department of Music, also highlighted the event. The program culminated with the presentation of a special watercolor rendering of the Cullen Building to Wilhelmina Robertson Smith, daughter of Hugh Roy and Lillie Cullen. The watercolor was painted by Austin artist Janet Campbell.

An exhibit, chronicling the history of the Cullen Building, also was debuted at the event and will be available for public viewing on the second floor of the Cullen Building throughout the months of September and October, including a special showing at Southwestern's Homecoming celebration October 16-18, 1998. The exhibit was designed by Kay Patterson, editorial assistant, with assistance from Special Collections.

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