Originally a Public Space
Umrath Hall, then called Tower Hall, was originally constructed by the Louisiana Purchase Exposition Company for the 1904 World’s Fair. As Tower Hall itself, and many other fair attractions were placed on Washington University’s (Danforth) campus, visitors began to flock to the area, prompting university administrators to realize that this was a great opportunity to promote the school.
During the summer of 1904, WashU bought Tower Hall and converted it into a dormitory for visiting teachers and school administrators “in the hope that they would spread tidings of the University and induce students to attend it” (Morrow, 169). This is one of the first instances of the public use of the building, as visitors from all over the nation were housed within it.