Comments

Volume 11, Issue 6 - Feature #4148

Memories Of Castles At Alva OK - April 1935

What about the cornerstone of the Jesse Dunn building? Could the Ament plans been put in it? Somewhere there are Ament's plans, yellow with age and tender to the touching.

NW Okie - 2009-02-11 10:05:58

There were plans to open the time capsule of the old Science Building when they celebrated its centennial a couple of years ago. But they discovered the cornerstone was empty of such a capsule of materials.

Rod Murrow - 2009-02-10 23:46:15

Did anyone at Northwestern come across Ament's plan in a time capsule? When researching through the Oklahoman archives, I believe I read that plans had been put in a time capsule. Whether that was at the Science building or at the new Jesse Dunn building, I'm not for sure.

NW Okie - 2009-02-10 11:49:14

In this 1935 news article in The Oklahoman, Ament mentioned that he had sent the newspaper his plans and photos and asked for them to be returned. Did The Oklahoman make copies before they returned the originals back to Ament? When Ament died in 1936, what happened to all his papers, etc.? I think you are correct about Ament and the Jesse Dunn structure replacing the Castle on the Hill.... and ... why didn't they think of handicap access back then when the president was handicap. Good question. AND.... would the Oklahoma History Center have some sort of archives with Ament's plans? probably NOT!

NW Okie - 2009-02-09 21:39:34

I'd always heard that the "Castle on the Hill" and the "Science Building" (now the Fine Arts building) were intended to become part of a "castle complex" with an interior courtyard, but this is the first time I've ever seen that in print. I'd love to know where more info about Ament's plan can be found. Is there a better photograph available? I think Ament would have been disheartened had he been able to visit Jesse Dunn. Ironically, the First Lady of the United States was invited to the dedication of Jesse Dunn - a lady whose husband would have been unable to enter the building.

Rod Murrow - 2009-02-09 21:18:44

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