Minot State students want to know people’s memories about Dakota Hall.

Built in the early 1930s, Dakota Hall is slated for demolition next summer. Due to deteriorating conditions, MSU was awarded funding in the 2023 legislative session to demolish the building, turning its former location into green space.

Professor Bethany Andreasen’s History of North Dakota class will delve into preserving the building’s history, gaining experience in historical research and investigating yearbooks, newspaper coverage, photographs, and the memories of former students.

The materials gathered will become electronic presentations that ultimately will be shared with the public at speaking events and online.

According to “When Dreams Came True: A Centennial History of Minot State University, 1913-2013″ by Jonathan Wagner and Mark Timbrook, ” the campus’ second dormitory, named Dakota Hall, was completed in 1932 and located east of Old Main. Dakota Hall significantly augmented the existing on-campus housing offered by the original dormitory, Pioneer Hall.

The centennial history stated, “The college’s newspaper celebrated the new facility as a ‘lovely home’ exuding a ‘happy, modern atmosphere.’ With all its latest conveniences, Dakota Hall made dormitory life the envy of most homemakers. ‘When lights out comes,’ The Red and Green asserted proudly, ‘all one has to do is open the closet door and out swings a comfortable bed all ready for occupancy, even to the extra blanket.’ Living in the dormitories was comfortable and relatively cheap. Dormitory women paid $16 a month for room and board, seven days a week.”

To share your Dakota Hall memories, visit https://oer.MinotStateU.edu/projects/dh/ or email Andreasen at bethany.andreasen@MinotStateU.edu.