History of the UF Division of Student Affairs | Page 75

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Housing and
Residence Education
Residence facilities have been the heart and pulse of the campus community
since Buckman and Thomas Halls opened in 1906. Since then, hundreds of
thousands of students have called UF residence facilities “home” for at least
part of their college careers.
T h e E a r ly Y e a r s : 1 9 0 6 - 1 9 4 2
Buckman and Thomas Halls were the first two buildings constructed on the UF
campus. Though each building was designed to be a residence hall, both buildings
were used to house the entire operations of UF for a number of years. In addition
to student housing, Buckman Hall contained an infirmary with six iron beds,
gymnasium, and living quarters for a professor called the Officer-in-Charge.
Thomas Hall housed administrative offices in the north section; classrooms,
laboratories, an auditorium, a library, a dining room, and a kitchen in the center
sections; and an agricultural experiment station in the south section. In 1913, UF
constructed four additional campus buildings: the Agriculture Building (Floyd
Hall), the University Commons Building (Cafeteria), the Language Hall (Anderson
Hall), and the College of Education Building (Peabody Hall). By 1914, Thomas Hall
was renovated for use as a residence hall.

Yulee Area under construction 1949
Photo Credit: UF Archives Digital Collection

Department histor ies : H ousi n g an d r esidence education