Edwards Gymnasium and Pfeiffer Natatorium explained

Edwards Gymnasium and Pfeiffer Natatorium
Location:	OWU Main Campus, S. Sandusky St., Delaware, Ohio
Coordinates:	40.2947°N -83.0675°W
Built:	1905-06
Architect:	Yost, J.W.
Builder:	Feick & Son
Added:	March 18, 1985
Area:	less than one acre
Refnum:	85000632

Edwards Gymnasium
Nickname:	Edwards Gym
Logo Image:	Owu_athletics_logo.png
Type:	Sports venue
Country:	United States
Renovated:	2012, 2015
Owner:	Ohio Wesleyan University
Surface:	Recaflex track surface
Architect:	J.W. Yost
Builder:	Feick & Son.
Tenants:	OWU Battling Bishops (NCAA) teams: men's and women's swimming women's handball
Capacity:	1,800

The Edwards Gymnasium and Pfeiffer Natatorium is a building on the main campus of Ohio Wesleyan University. Inaugurated in 1906, it was designed by architect J.W. Yost and was built by Feick & Son. Edwards Hall is a 1,800-seat multi-purpose arena. Located at the south end of the campus in Delaware, Ohio, it was home to the OWU Battling Bishops men's and women's swimming and women's handball teams.

Overview

It has a stone entry portico and a "dominant" red tile roof with dormers. The gymnasium is named for alumnus John Edwards of Leipsic, Ohio, who served on the board of trustees of the university and was a major benefactor to the university.^[1]

In 1985, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places along with the natatorium named for benefactor Annie Merner Pfeiffer.

The Pfeiffer Natatorium was the competition pool for OWU from 1954 to 2010.^[2]

Basketball and volleyball competition, and other indoor sports, were moved to the 2,300 seat Branch Rickey Arena, built adjacent to Edwards Gymnasium, upon its completion in 1976.^[3]

The Edwards Gymnasium was then renovated to accommodate the Pfeiffer Natatorium, named for donor Annie Merner Pfeiffer.

It is NaNfeet in plan. Built mainly of light-colored brick, it has a hipped red clay-tiled roof with dormers at both ends and sides.^[4]

The entrance has carved stone pillars.^{[4] [5]}

The complex was listed on the National Register as part of a 1984 study of historic resources on the OWU campus.^[6]

All the OWU sites listed together on the National Register in 1985 are:

• Austin Hall, W. Central Ave. and Elizabeth St.
• Edwards Gymnasium and Pfieffer Natatorium, Main Campus, S. Sandusky St.
• Ohio Wesleyan University Student Observatory, W. William St.
• Sanborn Hall, W. Campus
• Selby Field, Henry St.
• Slocum Hall, Main Campus, Sandusky St.
• Stuyvesant Hall, W. William St., and
• University Hall-Gray's Chapel, W. William St.^{[7] [8] [9] [10]}

See also

• List of Ohio Wesleyan University buildings
• National Register of Historic Places listings in Delaware County, Ohio

Notes and References

1. Book: Ohio Historic Places Dictionary, Volume 2 . 1999 . Somerset Publishers, Inc.. Lorrie K. Owen . 318. 9781878592705 .
2. Web site: Pfeiffer Natatorium . . May 1, 2023 .
3. owu page on Branch Rickey Arena
4. none. Ohio Historic Inventory: Edwards Gymnasium and Pfeiffer Natatorium . G.R. Cryder. 1985.
5. The National Park Service and NARA have misspelled "Pfeiffer" as "Pfieffer", as here.
6. none. National Register of Historic Places Inventory-Nomination: Ohio Wesleyan University Thematic Group. Judith B. Williams. May 21, 1984.
7. Web site: amp library?.
8. Web site: battling.
9. Web site: facilities .
10. Book: Ghosts of Historic Delaware, Ohio. John B. Ciochetty. 2010. Arcadia Publishing. 9781614235286 . Includes historic postcard inage of the gym....