More than a century ago, Texas Tech University housed all four of its original schools, a library and administrative offices under one roof. Today, that same building is still standing, its famous bell towers overlooking a campus that has grown dramatically around it. Now, the university’s first and oldest building has earned one of Texas’ highest historic honors.
Texas Tech’s Administration Building in Lubbock was recognized as a Recorded Texas Historic Landmark on Friday, Oct. 16. University officials and the Lubbock County Historical Commission unveiled a historical marker during homecoming weekend, with the school’s Masked Rider and Raider Red joining the celebration.
Texas Tech’s earliest days
The Spanish Renaissance-style building dates back to the university’s earliest days, when it was known as Texas Technological College. Construction began in 1924, a year after the school was established, with then-Gov. Pat Morris Neff participating in a cornerstone ceremony on Nov. 11, 1924.
The building’s elaborate facade was inspired by a 1553 redesign of the University of Alcalá de Henares in Spain. Its intricate stonework reportedly consumed one-fifth of the construction budget, while delays in receiving the material pushed construction back six months, according to Texas Architect magazine.
When Texas Tech officially opened in 1925, the building housed its four original schools: Agriculture, Engineering, Home Economics and Liberal Arts. The university’s first student convocation took place on its south lawn on Sept. 30 and Oct. 1 of that year. Its east and west wings were added in the early 1950s…