Home > California > Oakland > Mills Hall, Mills College, 5000 MacArthur Boulevard, Oakland, Alameda County, CA
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Item Title
Mills Hall, Mills College, 5000 MacArthur Boulevard, Oakland, Alameda County, CA
Location5000 MacArthur Boulevard,
Oakland, CA
Find maps of Oakland, CA
Created/Published
Documentation compiled after 1933.
Notes
Survey number HABS CA-2401
Building/structure dates:
1871 initial construction
Building/structure dates:
1900 subsequent work
Building/structure dates:
1925 subsequent work
National Register Number: PH0047236
Significance: Mills College began in 1852, though under another name, when a Young Ladies Protestant Seminary was founded in the city of Benicia. Its significance rose in 1953-54 when Benicia became the capitol of the State, and grew rapidly following its acquisition by Miss Mary Atkins, who became its owner in 1855. Because of ill health, she sold the property in 1865 to Dr. and Mrs. C.T. Mills, who continued to operate the school in Benicia until 1871. In 1870, Dr. Mills purchased 55 acres in what is now East Oakland, a site formerly occupied by an Indian rancheria. In June of 1870 construction began on Mills Hall, and in 1871 the Seminary left Benicia to take up permanent campus residence in Oakland. Originally the building consisted of classrooms, quarters for the College president, teachers and students, recitation rooms, a music room, lecture halls and a hospital ward. In 1877, the College was deeded to a Board of Trustees. The first baccalaureate degrees were granted in 1885, and the College became fully accredited in 1918, opening a graduate school in 1920. From 1916 till 1943, Aurelia Henry Reinhardt was president of the College, during which time 136 acres were incorporated within its boundaries. During this period Mills Hall was used almost exclusively as a dormitory and social activity hall, little changes having been made in its construction. Mills College compares with the most exclusive women's college's in the nation, including Wellesley, Mt. Holyoke and Vassar. Its history in the field of education is equal to the highest standards exemplified in America. Mills Hall is on both the State and National Registers (California Registered Landmark No. 849; National Register of Historic Places No. PH0047236).
Related Names
S.C. Bugbee & Sons
Collection
Historic American Buildings Survey (Library of Congress)
Contents
Photograph caption(s):
1. CONTEXTUAL FRONT VIEW FROM SOUTHWEST OF MILLS HALL MAIN WING, SHOWING FIRE ESCAPES AND START OF CONSTRUCTION OPERATION.
2. OBLIQUE CONTEXTUAL VIEW FROM WEST-SOUTHWEST OF FRONT OF MILLS HALL MAIN WING, IN FULL SUN.
3. OBLIQUE CONTEXTUAL VIEW FROM NORTHWEST, SHOWING OVER HALF OF MILLS HALL MAIN WING, NORTH WALL, ALL OF MILLS HALL NORTH WING WEST WALL, AND ADDITION NORTH AND WEST WALLS.
4. OBLIQUE VIEW FROM NORTHWEST, SIMILAR TO CA-2340-3, BUT SHOWING CLOSER, LARGER DETAILS OF ADDITION NORTH AND WEST WALLS.
5. DIRECT WEST WALL ELEVATION VIEW OF ADDITION.
6. DIRECT NORTH WALL ELEVATION VIEW OF ADDITION.
7. OBLIQUE CONTEXTUAL VIEW FROM NORTHEAST, SHOWING NORTH AND EAST WALLS OF ADDITION, AND ALL OF EAST WALL OF MILLS HALL NORTH WING.
8. OBLIQUE VIEW FROM NORTHEAST, SIMILAR TO CA-2340-7, BUT SHOWING CLOSER, LARGER DETAILS OF ADDITION NORTH AND EAST WALLS, INCLUDING FIRE ESCAPE AT JUNCTURE BETWEEN ADDITION AND MILLS HALLS NORTH WING.
9. DIRECT EAST WALL ELEVATION VIEW OF ADDITION.
10. VIEW FROM SOUTHWEST OF MILLS HALL MAIN WING (CENTRAL ENTRY PORTION), SHOWING ROOF TO GROUND CENTRAL FIRE ESCAPE CONTEXT.
11. VIEW FROM SOUTHWEST OF MILLS HALL MAIN WING (CENTRAL ENTRY PORTION) DETAIL VIEW, SHOWING MAXIMUM FIRE ESCAPE DETAIL.
12. CLOSE-UP VIEW FROM NORTHWEST, SHOWING DETAILS OF FIRE ESCAPE NEAR CORNER OF MILLS HALL MAIN WING NORTH WALL, AND MILLS HALL NORTH WING WEST WALL.
13. INTERIOR DETAIL, FIRST FLOOR OF ADDITION AT STAIRWAY, SHOWING BANNISTER, HANDRAIL AND NEWEL POSTS AND TONGUE AND GROOVE WAINSCOTING.
14. INTERIOR DETAIL, FIRST FLOOR OF ADDITION AT SOUTH WALL OF TOILET ROOM, SHOWING ORNATE PAINTED RADIATOR AND TONGUE AND GROOVE WAINSCOTING.
15. INTERIOR DETAIL, FIRST FLOOR OF ADDITION AT EAST WALL OF TOILET ROOM, SHOWING DOORKNOB AND ESCUTCHEON PLATE ON WOOD DOOR AND TRIM.
16. INTERIOR DETAIL, SECOND FLOOR OF ADDITION AT SOUTH WALL OF TOILET ROOM, SHOWING LARGER, DIFFERENT STYLE RADIATOR THAN AT FIRST FLOOR, AND TONGUE AND GROOVE WAINSCOTING WITH WOOD CAP TRIM.
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