Building 800-Austin Hall
Encyclopedia
Building 800 - Austin Hall is located in Montgomery, Alabama
on the grounds of Maxwell Air Force Base
.
asked Congress to re-appropriate an additional $
100,000 for the main school building for the Air Corps Tactical School
at Maxwell Field. President Hoover’s policy was to speed public works to offset unemployment. In February 1930 Congressman J. Lister Hill
's resolution was passed in the House of Representatives, to add 80 acres (323,748.8 m²) to Maxwell Field for expansion purposes. The bill carried an item for $100,000 for construction of a tactical school building with a total sum available of $136,000. The actual cost of the building ended up being $132,034.14.
designed the overall layout of Maxwell for the Army Quartermaster Corps. Ford, an architect-trained city planner who had served as an adviser to the Army in the 1920s on all of its base construction projects, and had final approval of all post development plans between 1926 and 1930, used an approach that clustered similar functions together. This technique provided plenty of open space and gave each cluster a distinct appearance. Construction plans were approved by Chief of the Air Corps Maj. Gen. James Fechet
and Congressman Hill for a school house of approximately 29500 ft2 constructed of hollow tile and stucco, tile roof and walls with a white stucco finish. The expected operational date of the building was July 1931.
On September 15, 1930, Congressman Hill broke ground for the project. Rain forced abandonment of the outdoor ceremonies that were intended to mark the start of the project. Congressman Hill along with other national and local area dignitaries and post commander Major Weaver hurriedly transferred the ceremonies to the Maxwell Field officer’s club. Congressman Hill, the principal speaker, announced at the ceremony that the project was to be completed in 300 days at an approximate cost of $119,273. Hill also announced that for the tactical school program there was $1,903,400 available of which $1,703,400 was to be spent on buildings. The remaining $200,000 was to be used for the appropriation of additional land. Hill added that he expected an additional $375,000 more for buildings with another $1,300,200 to be added soon afterward.
Algernon Blair is credited for being the architect and A.C. Samford was the contractor for the construction project. There were complaints about using imported labor; on April 4, 1931, Captain M. A. McFadden who was in charge of construction said at a local Rotary Club meeting that ninety percent of the labor employed in the construction was local labor. Montgomery area residents were understandably protective of all employment opportunities during this time period; the payroll of workers at Maxwell Field exceeded $2,000 daily.
By August 28, 1931, sixty-four officers with spouses and other family members started to arrive at Maxwell Field in preparation of the grand opening of the school house. The school house was built in the Renaissance Revival
style of architecture. Elements of this style were borrowed from fifteenth century Italian Renaissance merchant palaces and public buildings. The school house’s hipped roof, corner quoins, and classical entrance gave the feeling of both formality and elegance.
On September 4, 1931, the school house (Building 800) was formally dedicated in honor of First Lieutenant Charles B. Austin. Austin was an instructor at the Air Corps Tactical School when the school was at Langley Field. Lieutenant Austin was born in Vermillion Grove, Illinois, on January 7, 1891. Austin had graduated from DePauw University
in 1913. He was scholastically outstanding to the point where he was selected for a membership in Phi Beta Kappa. On October 11, 1917 he enlisted as a flying cadet and attended ground school as a cadet at the University of Illinois. He received his flight training at Rich
and Ellington Field
s in Houston, Texas
. On March 30, 1918, Austin received his commission in the aviation section of the Signal Officers Reserve Corps and was promoted to first lieutenant in the regular army July 1, 1920. Austin served in England
; Mitchel Field, New York
; France Field; the Panama Canal Zone
; and Langley Field. First Lieutenant Austin served with distinction at Langley Field as an instructor at the Air Corps Tactical School and received a letter of commendation for his efforts. On July 27, 1928, Lieutenant Austin died following illness and a subsequent operation. Major John F. Curry
, commandant of the Air Corps Tactical School thought all personnel associated with the school would profit by the example Austin set.
On September 5, Austin Hall was officially turned over to the Army Air Corps by the Algernon Blair Company; even though some areas of the building had been in use since August 31. The addition more than doubled the size of the original building to 60640 square feet (5,633.6 m²). The final cost for the construction for the additions to the south and front ends of the original structure was $107,627. Because of the additions to Austin Hall it would not only include classrooms it would also be the new staff headquarters for the ACTS. The additions included executive offices, classrooms and assembly halls; a library was located in the extreme southern tip of the building.
more than 100,000 aviation cadets had received training from the Southeast Air Corps Training Center.
. The period of significance for the placement of Austin Hall on the register was 1925–1949. The historical significance of Austin Hall’s placement on the register was the movement of the ACTS as well as Austin Hall’s rich history through 1949. Moreover, the Algernon Blair Company and Samford Brother's Inc. involvement for Architecture/Engineering are noted for their significant effort.
Montgomery, Alabama
Montgomery is the capital of the U.S. state of Alabama, and is the county seat of Montgomery County. It is located on the Alabama River southeast of the center of the state, in the Gulf Coastal Plain. As of the 2010 census, Montgomery had a population of 205,764 making it the second-largest city...
on the grounds of Maxwell Air Force Base
Maxwell Air Force Base
Maxwell Air Force Base , officially known as Maxwell-Gunter Air Force Base, is a United States Air Force installation under the Air Education and Training Command . The installation is located in Montgomery, Alabama, US. It was named in honor of Second Lieutenant William C...
.
History
On January 25, 1930, President Herbert HooverHerbert Hoover
Herbert Clark Hoover was the 31st President of the United States . Hoover was originally a professional mining engineer and author. As the United States Secretary of Commerce in the 1920s under Presidents Warren Harding and Calvin Coolidge, he promoted partnerships between government and business...
asked Congress to re-appropriate an additional $
United States dollar
The United States dollar , also referred to as the American dollar, is the official currency of the United States of America. It is divided into 100 smaller units called cents or pennies....
100,000 for the main school building for the Air Corps Tactical School
Air Corps Tactical School
The Air Corps Tactical School, also known as ACTS and "the Tactical School", was a military professional development school for officers of the United States Army Air Service and United States Army Air Corps, the first such school in the world. Created in 1920 at Langley Field, Virginia, it...
at Maxwell Field. President Hoover’s policy was to speed public works to offset unemployment. In February 1930 Congressman J. Lister Hill
J. Lister Hill
Joseph Lister Hill was a Democratic U.S. Senator from the state of Alabama. He was elected to fill the term left by the resignation of Dixie Bibb Graves and was reelected five times, serving in the Senate from January 11, 1938 until January 3, 1969...
's resolution was passed in the House of Representatives, to add 80 acres (323,748.8 m²) to Maxwell Field for expansion purposes. The bill carried an item for $100,000 for construction of a tactical school building with a total sum available of $136,000. The actual cost of the building ended up being $132,034.14.
The construction of Austin Hall
George B. Ford and Frederick Law Olmsted, Jr.Frederick Law Olmsted, Jr.
Frederick Law Olmsted, Jr. was an American landscape architect best known for his wildlife conservation efforts. He had a lifetime commitment to national parks, and worked on projects in Acadia, the Everglades and Yosemite National Park. Olmsted Point in Yosemite and Olmsted Island at Great Falls...
designed the overall layout of Maxwell for the Army Quartermaster Corps. Ford, an architect-trained city planner who had served as an adviser to the Army in the 1920s on all of its base construction projects, and had final approval of all post development plans between 1926 and 1930, used an approach that clustered similar functions together. This technique provided plenty of open space and gave each cluster a distinct appearance. Construction plans were approved by Chief of the Air Corps Maj. Gen. James Fechet
James Fechet
James Edmond Fechet was the Chief of the United States Army Air Corps in 1927–1931. Men he had selected and worked with both on his staff and in other top Air Corps positions became key leaders of the United States Army Air Forces in World War II.-Biography:Born at Fort Ringgold, Texas, in 1877,...
and Congressman Hill for a school house of approximately 29500 ft2 constructed of hollow tile and stucco, tile roof and walls with a white stucco finish. The expected operational date of the building was July 1931.
On September 15, 1930, Congressman Hill broke ground for the project. Rain forced abandonment of the outdoor ceremonies that were intended to mark the start of the project. Congressman Hill along with other national and local area dignitaries and post commander Major Weaver hurriedly transferred the ceremonies to the Maxwell Field officer’s club. Congressman Hill, the principal speaker, announced at the ceremony that the project was to be completed in 300 days at an approximate cost of $119,273. Hill also announced that for the tactical school program there was $1,903,400 available of which $1,703,400 was to be spent on buildings. The remaining $200,000 was to be used for the appropriation of additional land. Hill added that he expected an additional $375,000 more for buildings with another $1,300,200 to be added soon afterward.
Algernon Blair is credited for being the architect and A.C. Samford was the contractor for the construction project. There were complaints about using imported labor; on April 4, 1931, Captain M. A. McFadden who was in charge of construction said at a local Rotary Club meeting that ninety percent of the labor employed in the construction was local labor. Montgomery area residents were understandably protective of all employment opportunities during this time period; the payroll of workers at Maxwell Field exceeded $2,000 daily.
Austin Hall opens
Neo-Renaissance
Renaissance Revival is an all-encompassing designation that covers many 19th century architectural revival styles which were neither Grecian nor Gothic but which instead drew inspiration from a wide range of classicizing Italian modes...
style of architecture. Elements of this style were borrowed from fifteenth century Italian Renaissance merchant palaces and public buildings. The school house’s hipped roof, corner quoins, and classical entrance gave the feeling of both formality and elegance.
On September 4, 1931, the school house (Building 800) was formally dedicated in honor of First Lieutenant Charles B. Austin. Austin was an instructor at the Air Corps Tactical School when the school was at Langley Field. Lieutenant Austin was born in Vermillion Grove, Illinois, on January 7, 1891. Austin had graduated from DePauw University
DePauw University
DePauw University in Greencastle, Indiana, USA, is a private, national liberal arts college with an enrollment of approximately 2,400 students. The school has a Methodist heritage and was originally known as Indiana Asbury University. DePauw is a member of both the Great Lakes Colleges Association...
in 1913. He was scholastically outstanding to the point where he was selected for a membership in Phi Beta Kappa. On October 11, 1917 he enlisted as a flying cadet and attended ground school as a cadet at the University of Illinois. He received his flight training at Rich
Rich Field
Rich Field is a defunct military airfield near Waco, Texas, used for flying training during World War I. It was named in honor of 2nd Lt. C. Perry Rich of the Philippine Scouts. He had been instructed to fly by Lt. Frank P. Lahm in May 1913, then crashed his Wright Model C into Manila Bay on...
and Ellington Field
Ellington Field
Ellington International Airport is a joint civil-military airport located in the U.S. state of Texas within the city of Houston— southeast of Downtown. Established by the Army Air Service on 21 May 1917, Ellington Field was one of the initial World War I Army Air Service installations when...
s in Houston, Texas
Houston, Texas
Houston is the fourth-largest city in the United States, and the largest city in the state of Texas. According to the 2010 U.S. Census, the city had a population of 2.1 million people within an area of . Houston is the seat of Harris County and the economic center of , which is the ...
. On March 30, 1918, Austin received his commission in the aviation section of the Signal Officers Reserve Corps and was promoted to first lieutenant in the regular army July 1, 1920. Austin served in England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
; Mitchel Field, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
; France Field; the Panama Canal Zone
Panama Canal Zone
The Panama Canal Zone was a unorganized U.S. territory located within the Republic of Panama, consisting of the Panama Canal and an area generally extending 5 miles on each side of the centerline, but excluding Panama City and Colón, which otherwise would have been partly within the limits of...
; and Langley Field. First Lieutenant Austin served with distinction at Langley Field as an instructor at the Air Corps Tactical School and received a letter of commendation for his efforts. On July 27, 1928, Lieutenant Austin died following illness and a subsequent operation. Major John F. Curry
John F. Curry
Major General John Francis Curry was the first national commander of the Civil Air Patrol, the United States Air Force Auxiliary. He was also a Major General in the United States Army Air Corps.-Biography:...
, commandant of the Air Corps Tactical School thought all personnel associated with the school would profit by the example Austin set.
Maxwell's continuous growth
On July 16, 1933, Congressman Lister Hill secured approval from the War Department for $1,650,075 for immediate spending at Maxwell Field. Hill’s request was justified by increased enrollment at the Air Corps Tactical School and the desperate need for employment for the local Montgomery population. At the start of October 1933 bids opened for four construction projects that were to start immediately (1933-1934 construction at Maxwell Field employed an average of 500 plus workers). The contract for the addition to Austin Hall was the last to be resolved. Bidding opened for the contract to construct Austin Hall on January 16, 1934. On January 18, it was announced that the Algernon Blair Company of Montgomery had received the contract. Construction started on the project after the Air Corps Tactical School 1933-34 session closed in June. Blair made of all his company assets available to ensure the project was finished by the fall.On September 5, Austin Hall was officially turned over to the Army Air Corps by the Algernon Blair Company; even though some areas of the building had been in use since August 31. The addition more than doubled the size of the original building to 60640 square feet (5,633.6 m²). The final cost for the construction for the additions to the south and front ends of the original structure was $107,627. Because of the additions to Austin Hall it would not only include classrooms it would also be the new staff headquarters for the ACTS. The additions included executive offices, classrooms and assembly halls; a library was located in the extreme southern tip of the building.
Modern-day Austin Hall
As of July 8, 1940, Austin Hall was home for the Head Quarters of the Southeast Air Corps Training Center. The Southeast Air Corps Training Center was responsible for all pilot, navigator and bombardier training in the southeast. At one time during World War II the headquarters in Austin Hall controlled 30 plus major installations and 23 war service training organizations. Command jurisdiction for the Southeast Air Corps Training Center extended from Maine to Florida and from the Atlantic coast to the Mississippi river valley. By the end of World War IIWorld War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
more than 100,000 aviation cadets had received training from the Southeast Air Corps Training Center.
Historical status
On April 2, 1988, Austin Hall was placed on the National Register of Historic PlacesNational Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
. The period of significance for the placement of Austin Hall on the register was 1925–1949. The historical significance of Austin Hall’s placement on the register was the movement of the ACTS as well as Austin Hall’s rich history through 1949. Moreover, the Algernon Blair Company and Samford Brother's Inc. involvement for Architecture/Engineering are noted for their significant effort.