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Last of Evangel University's WW-II era barracks to be razed

June 4, 2009
Contact: Paul K. Logsdon, Director of Public Relations and Publications (417) 865-2815, ext. 7292

Last BarrackSPRINGFIELD, Mo. — With the completion of Evangel University’s new administration building, the very last of its WW-II era barracks will be razed, starting Thursday, June 4.

“Demolition will take several weeks,” said Paul K. Logsdon, spokesman for Evangel.

All useable furnishings, light fixtures and other saleable items have been donated to the Habitat for Humanity Resale Store.

The razing process has begun with asbestos abatement by David Rensch Construction. Their task includes removal of the hard exterior siding, the floor tiles and pipe insulation, according to Logsdon.

The demolition itself has been offered to a local Amish community.

“We hope the Amish men will be able to salvage the massive amount of lumber in this building,” said Tom Keltner, physical plant director. “Over the years, they have taken dozens of these old buildings, reusing the wood on a variety of projects.”

Evangel is built on the site of the former O’Reilly General Hospital. This final set of Army buildings originally included a 250-seat auditorium and the Red Cross Center.

From 1955-2002, the complex served Evangel as the Music Department and Fine Arts Auditorium. 

“This set of barracks was renovated and used as temporary offices for several different departments during the past seven years,” Logsdon said.

The new Ralph M. Riggs Administration Building opened in March, and dedication will take place at Homecoming, Oct. 9, 2009. Landscaping is currently being completed.

HISTORY

Evangel University’s unique setting is traced back to World War II, when the land was used as O’Reilly General Hospital, a treatment center for soldiers of the war.

Victims of the war effort — more than 44,000 wounded soldiers — were cared for at O’Reilly Hospital between 1941 and 1946. It was temporarily closed after the war, but reopened as a Veterans Administration Hospital until 1952.

At the hospital, many pioneer techniques in plastic surgery were developed, and the hospital became the foundation of Springfield’s famous “Medical Mile.”

Near the end of 1954, two years after the closing of the Veterans Administration Hospital, parts of the land were awarded to local organizations. The Assemblies of God received 58 acres of this land to build its new liberal arts college. Today, the campus covers 80 acres of land, roughly half the area that O’Reilly Hospital once covered.

Evangel has removed most of the original O’Reilly buildings to help accommodate the college construction program. Four residence halls, a library, gymnasium, married student apartments and cafeteria were built during the ’60s and ’70s.

The period of 1977-1981 saw great growth with the addition of football, and the school built two additional residence halls and the Chapel.

RECENT YEARS OF GREAT GROWTH

After a 15-year break in building, 1997 saw the dedication of the first permanent academic building, Zimmerman Hall.

From there, growth has been phenomenal — Evangel opened the Mabee Student Fitness Center in 1999, Crusader Dining Hall in 2000, the Cantrell Student Union in 2001, the Barnett Fine Arts Center in 2002, the Physical Plant complex in 2003, Trask Hall (the second academic building) in 2005, the Clock Tower and the baseball fieldhouse in 2006, and the Riggs Administration Building in 2009.