Jones Hall
When a fire destroyed the building that housed the Female Orphan Academy in Camden Point in 1889, the Church of Christ of Missouri decided to relocate the school and solicited interest from communities throughout the state. The town of Fulton presented the most attractive proposal: land and a pledge of $56,000 ($40,000 of which was used to construct the school’s first building.) M. F. Bell designed the structure which was completed in 1890 and known simply as Main Building. Many thought it was among the handsomest in the region. In addition to its aesthetic qualities, it provided the school’s student housing, dining room, kitchen, infirmary and classrooms. Dulany Hall, constructed adjacent to Main Building in 1907, complemented the existing structure and together they offered an inviting setting for the young ladies enrolled in what had now become William Woods College. Main Building was later renamed Jones Hall in honor of the school’s second President, James Benjamin Jones, who served in that capacity from 1896 to 1911.
Today, Jones Hall bears faint resemblance to the original building pictured in this postcard. Generations of students had lived in Jones Hall when on November 12, 1956, an explosion caused by a faulty fuse box in the basement suddenly engulfed the building in flames. Fortunately, no one died in the fire or was even seriously injured. Although the college wanted to rebuild Jones Hall, the extensive damage to the original building precluded its restoration. (We’ve added an aerial photo that shows more clearly the devastating effects of the fire, especially on the south side of the building.) Tucker Dining Hall, completed in 1958, replaced South Jones Hall. North Jones Hall was repaired and ready to house students once again by February 1957. Jones Hall continues to play an important part at William Woods as a residence hall for students.