Day: July 25, 2011

Williston Hall (1858)

by Dan//Amherst, Collegiate, Greek Revival

Williston Hall was built in 1858 on the campus of Amherst College, where it stands at the north end of College Row. Named for philanthropist Samuel Williston, it was designed by George P. Shoals of Easthampton. The building once had a prominent tower, which was later removed. Williston Hall was initially an academic building and contained the College’s art collection. Remodeled with a Greek Revival roof, it held various academic departments over the years, but was later in danger of demolition. In 2003, an adaptive reuse project was completed, which transformed the restored building into a student residence.

The Dell (1907)

by Dan//Amherst, Colonial Revival, Houses

The Dell is a Colonial Revival house at 97 Spring Street in Amherst. It was built in 1907 for the Churchill family and, from 1950 to 1958, was the home of author Howard R. Garis (1873-1962). He was the author of the Uncle Wiggily stories, which he began writing in 1910. Garis also wrote the first 37 Tom Swift books and other stories under the name Victor Appleton, a house pseudonym used by the Stratemeyer Syndicate. Today the Dell is used as the offices of Five Colleges, Incorporated.