Samson Hall

From GWUEncyc

Building

Title: Samson Hall

Address: 2036 H Street, N.W.

Square and lot, bordering streets: Square 102, lot 838 (G, H, 20th, 21st Street)

Architect: Norris I. Crandall

Date of construction: 1930, second story 1939

Original owner: George Washington University

Description: The building was named for George Whitefield Samson, GW's fifth President (1859-1871). Samson Hall was constructed as a laboratory for the Department of Mechanical Engineering in 1930 for George Washington University by the contractor Frank W. Burnett. The architect was Norris I. Crandall, a University professor of architecture. The original building permit called for a one-story brick structure; then, in 1939, a second-story addition was built. Samson Hall is situated on the southeast corner of the intersection of 20th and H Streets and is oriented to H Street. It is 50 feet wide and 74 feet 9 inches deep. A simply massed building, its ornamentation is limited to subtle variations in the brickwork including recessed panels and arches, rustication between the second and third levels, a molded brick water table, and a belt course under the third level windows. The main entrance is centered in the facade which is five bays wide and has a projecting square bay at each end.

Historic designation: None

Document Information

Images: 0
Photographic Credit: n/a
Author or Source:
Document Location: University Archives
Date Added to Encyclopedia: December 21, 2006
Prepared by: Lyle Slovick, Assistant University Archivist

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