Lyman Hall
Buildings Plans Announced: January 18, 1905
Construction Began: Summer 1905
Building Occupied: 1907
Cost: $250,000
Materials: Marble base; brick and Indiana limestone
Architect: Professors Frederick W. Revels and Earl Hallenbeck
Style: Renaissance
Notes:
In January 1904 John Lyman of Syracuse, member of the Board of Trustees from 1893 to 1904, died and left a bequest of approximately $200,000 to the University as a memorial to his two deceased daughters. In January 1905 Chancellor Day secured the approval of the Trustees to use the Lyman bequest for the erection of a natural history building that would be a memorial to Lyman's two children. The building was occupied in 1907 by the Departments of Biology, Botany and Geology.
In 1930 the top floor was remodeled and made into a museum--the Natural History Museum. Until 1930 the various museum collections were distributed throughout the building. In 1937 a fire destroyed the top floor and the roof of the building. Many of the valuable museum collections were destroyed. Fire damage was estimated at $79,000.
