Also Known As: The President's House; Parkhurst Hall; Hughes House

Named For: Silas Evans and his wife, Nell.  Evans served as Ripon College's president from 1910-1917 and again from 1921-1943.

Location: The comer of Seward Street and Woodside Avenue.

Date of Construction: 1863. Built by President William Merriman, the first President of Ripon College.

Former Uses: The Evans Admissions Center was called The President's House, since Ripon College's first president, William Merriman, lived there until his resignation in 1876. The house was then passed to several private owners, but was acquired again by the College in 1900 as a house for President Hughes. It was used as a women's dormitory under the name of Parkhurst Hall during the Culbertson administration. Thereafter, the house again served as the president's house until the fall of 1967, when it was converted into a women's dormitory. Between 1974 and 1980, it served as the dean's house, at which time, under Dean Henry Pommer and his wife, it was extensively refurbished.   The house was also used for the meetings and social events of The Hughes House Society, originally called the Ripon College Society of Scholars. Before it became an admissions center, it was used for receptions, faculty talks, or Friday afternoon gatherings.   

Recent Renovations: The Evans Admissions Center was renovated in 2005 and now houses the offices of admission.

Notes: A "college within a college" was created as an experiment in living group seminars in 1967-68. Fifteen freshmen women were chosen to reside in the Evans Center, then known as Hughes House.  The students' classes were held at the residence. The experiment ended, because of a fire, shortly after the beginning of second semester.

References: Crimson 1968, p. 103.