History

Built as part of Gibbon's estate, Embury Hall was originally a granary. After being refurbished the building was used as a “club house” in which students would “board themselves.” The students who used this building formed a Boarding Club and was the most influential organization on campus until the Bowne Refectory opened. In 1904-1905 Embury was used as a dining room and contained Stewards’ apartments. By 1913-1914 the building was the residence of the superintendent of grounds and buildings. In 1920-1921 it was used as apartments of some officers of administration, married students (on third floor) and for the office of the superintendent of grounds and buildings. In 1924-1925 it contained seminary laundry and supply rooms. By 1955-1956 Embury was used for single men in the Theological School as well as staff accommodations. In 1964-1965 it housed university staff and missionaries associated with the Theological School. In 1978 the building housed laboratories, offices, museum of the Drew Institute for Archeological Research, offices of the New Jersey Shakespeare Festival, the Arts Council of the Morris Area, and the Colonial Symphony Society. By 1987-1989, in addition to the offices just mentioned, the building housed a few students. In 1993-1994 it housed studio art spaces and residence hall accommodations.

Current Use

Today Embury Hall provides office space for the Drew University Center for Holocaust/Genocide Study, for Classics Department faculty, French and Italian Department faculty. At the rear of the building is the University's grounds department.

Source(s)

John T. Cunningham, “From Gibbons to Great Expectations,” Drew Magazine (Spring 1998), 39.

Credits

Composed by Anthony D. Rogers, Courtesy of the Drew University Archives.