Guilford Hall, former home of Whittier College’s mail room and music department, embarked on a journey to Uptown Whittier this past Friday. The building was moved from its location adjacent to the Campus Center to the corner of Penn Street and Comstock Avenue where it will be converted into affordable housing.
The 109-year-old two-story, Queen Anne style building was constructed around 1903 by George Fensom and was occupied for many years as a medical office by physicians Roy R. Woodward and Raymond Thompson who established the first medical practice in Whittier shortly after the end of World War I.
The family legacy continued with Woodward’s son Roy R. Woodward receiving the title property and then being purchased by Dr. William F. Kroener.
In 1938, the building was integrated to the north side of campus on Earlham Drive to house the College’s music department. Former music professors Margaretha Lohmann and Ruth Haroldson taught and led rehearsals in Guilford Hall from 1939 to 1961. The building then served as the College’s mailroom before the reconstruction of the Campus Center until 2008 and remained part of the campus for many years.
Guilford Hall will be part of a Heritage Housing Partners 11-unit single-family development and taking its place on campus will eventually be an extension of the Campus Center parking lot.
by Lightmary Flores '17
