| Knight Library | |
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| U.S. National Register of Historic Places | |
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| Location: | Eugene, Oregon |
| Built/Founded: | 1937 |
| Architect: | Ellis F. Lawrence |
| Architectural style(s): | Lombardic Romanesque, Art Deco |
| Added to NRHP: | 1990 |
| NRHP Reference#: | 90000370 |
| Governing body: | University of Oregon |
Knight Library is the main facility of the University of Oregon's library system, located on the University's campus in Eugene, Oregon, United States. The city of Eugene ( "yoo-JEEN") is the County seat of Lane County, Oregon, Ellis Fuller Lawrence ( November 13 1879 – February 27 1946) was an American Architect who worked primarily in the Romanesque Revival (or Neo-Romanesque) is a style of building employed in the late 19th century inspired by the 11th and 12th century Romanesque style Art Deco was a popular international design movement from 1925 until 1939 affecting the decorative arts such as Architecture, Interior design, and Industrial The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP is the United States government's official list of districts sites buildings structures and objects deemed worthy of The University of Oregon (UO is a public, Coeducational Research university in Eugene Oregon, United States. The University of Oregon (UO is a public, Coeducational Research university in Eugene Oregon, United States. The city of Eugene ( "yoo-JEEN") is the County seat of Lane County, Oregon, Oregon ( is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the Its design is emblematic of the architecture of the University's older buildings, and it serves as a hub of student activity.
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Construction and history
The building was opened in 1937 to replace the original library building (the "Old Libe," Fenton Hall, completed in 1907), which the University's collections had outgrown. Year 1937 ( MCMXXXVII) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Construction of the library was financed as a Depression-era Works Progress Administration (WPA) project, spearheaded by Oregon senator Frederick Steiwer (R. The Works Progress Administration (renamed in 1939 the Work Projects Administration; WPA) was the largest New Deal agency employing millions of people Oregon ( is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. The United States Senate is the Upper house of the bicameral United States Congress, the Lower house being the House of Representatives Frederick Steiwer ( October 13, 1883 - February 3, 1939) was a United States Senator from Oregon. - Ore. 1931-1933) and took more than two years to complete. "The New Libe" as the Oregon Daily Emerald student newspaper had christened the building, was designed by Ellis F. Lawrence of the Oregon-based architectural firm Lawrence, Holford, and Allyn. The Oregon Daily Emerald is an independent daily Newspaper published at the University of Oregon in Eugene Oregon, United States. Ellis Fuller Lawrence ( November 13 1879 – February 27 1946) was an American Architect who worked primarily in the Lawrence was also a driving force in much of the core architecture of the U of O campus and was the first Dean of the School of Architecture and Allied Arts. The University of Oregon School of Architecture and Allied Arts is a public school of Architecture and Visual arts in the U The rich architecture of the building reflects an Art Deco aesthetic with "modernized Lombardy and Greco-Roman" elements as well as many integrated artistic embellishments including "the fifteen stone heads by Edna Dunberg and Louise Utter Pritchard, ornamental memorial gates by O. Art Deco was a popular international design movement from 1925 until 1939 affecting the decorative arts such as Architecture, Interior design, and Industrial B. Dawson, carved wooden panels by Arthur Clough, and two large murals painted by Albert and Arthur Runquist. " [1]
Three major renovations of the library, in 1950, 1966, and again in 1994, have kept the building up-to-date and it is a daily hub of learning and research to University of Oregon's more than 20,000 students. 1994's $27 million renovation added 132,000 square feet (12,000 m²) to the building. The project was partially funded by Phil Knight, U of O alumnus and cofounder of athletic shoe company Nike, Inc.. Philip H Knight (born February 24, 1938) is an American Billionaire, and the co-founder and Chairman of Nike Inc An athletic shoe is a Generic name for footwear designed for Sporting and physical activities, and is different in style and build than a Dress shoe Nike Inc ('naɪki ( is a major publicly traded sportswear and equipment supplier based in the United States. The library was renamed Knight Library in honor of Mr. Knight's family.
Inscriptions
The original part of the library (the 1937 section), designed by Lawrence, contains inscriptions along the tops of each of seven large windows on the main (north) facade. These read, "Philosophia," "Historia," "Religio," "Ars," "Natura," "Societas," and "Litterae," and are meant to represent (in Latin), the seven major disciplines contained in the library's collection. Latin ( lingua Latīna, laˈtiːna is an Italic language, historically spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome.
Above the main entry doors (also on the north facade), is a passage from the Bible (John 8:32), which proclaims, "Ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. Etymology According to the Online Etymology Dictionary, the word bible is from Latin biblia, traced from the same word through Medieval Latin and Late Latin "
Images
 West side of the Library, showing all three main phases of construction. |
 Detail of the inscription over the east door. |
 Detail of the inscription over the west door. |
References
- University of Oregon - Knight Library History
- Knight Library, Architecture of the University of Oregon: A History, Bibliography, and Research Guide
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