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Historic Cowles House welcomes new president

By Meredith Mescher

A watercolor painting from 1895 shows what the president's residence looked like at that time. The painting was given to Jessie Beal, daughter of W.J. Beal, by Roger D. Baker of Durham, N.C. The artwork was given to University Archives and Historical Collections in 1970.

A photograph from 1920, taken by the university's official photographer, shows the president's residence at that time. The circular window at the peak remains today.

Cowles House as it appears today. Although President Lou Anna Kimsey Simon will not reside there, it will continue to be used for official university functions.

One of the oldest buildings on campus will take on a new role when Lou Anna Kimsey Simon takes office as the 20th president of MSU.

Simon will be extending an invitation to permanent MSU faculty and staff to attend a series of receptions at Cowles House beginning in March and ending in the fall of 2005. Faculty and staff members will get a chance to meet Simon and see the residence. Invitation will be by a random drawing of names but will eventually include all permanent staff and faculty.

As president, Simon will not take up residence at Cowles House, but will use it in its traditional role as the place to hold important meetings and social events.

Alice B. Cowles House, designed by J.J. Scott of Toledo, Ohio, was completed in 1857. As a “farm cottage,” it was originally constructed as a one of four houses for faculty and their families known as Faculty Row. Clay for the bricks used in the house was dug from “Sleepy Hollow,” the area east of the Music Building, according to Fred Honhart, director of University Archives and Historical Collections.

Renovations to the house over the years have kept the integrity of the original design, which integrated the house with the landscape and maintained a modest appearance and size in keeping with MSU’s mission of a land-grant institution.

The first resident was the college’s first president, Joseph R. Williams, who lived there during his term from 1857 to 1859.

At one time, the house was used by the MSU Department of Education and as a dormitory for female students.

Since 1941, which marked the beginning of John A. Hannah’s presidency, Cowles House has been the official presidential residence and an important site for many university receptions and social functions.

Among more recent renovations was the redesign of the kitchen to a commercial-grade kitchen licensed by the state so meals can be served to large groups. Those upgrades were made possible by a gift from the School of Hospitality Business Alumni Association.

The front entrance of Cowles House was redesigned with new landscaping and walkways, and, with a gift from the class of 1992, the house now has an entrance that is accessible for persons with disabilities, Honhart said. Cowles House retains the original north and east sides of the structure.

Since Hannah, Cowles House has been open to the campus community at large and with Simon’s installation, will be shared with many more.