Also Known As: West College.

Named For: Its location to the west of Middle and East Halls.

Location: On the "Hill," off Elm Street, next to Middle Hall.

Date of Construction: 1867.

Former Uses: West was the third building constructed and has been used for a wide variety of purposes. It has been a men's residence hall, as well as housing the chapel, library, general offices, recitation rooms, young men's societies, and a gymnasium. During the Hughes administration, West was rebuilt to house the dining hall, known as the Alumni Commons. From 1920 to the 1950s, it was the home of Alpha Phi Omega fraternity (later Phi Delta Theta). In 1980, the Kresge Foundation gave the College a challenge grant to remodel East, West and Memorial Halls and West was refurbished inside with carpeting and paneling.

Present Uses: Currently, West contains classrooms and offices for the English and German departments on the second floor, and Romance Languages on third floor. (The History department was in West Hall for some time, but moved to East Hall about 1980.) The Anthropology department can be found on the first underground level of West Hall near the ROTC. The Ripon College Historical Museum, which opened in 1989, is in the faculty lounge on the main floor. There is also a kitchen off the lounge/museum. ROTC uses the main floor classroom and has offices, classrooms, and a lounge on the floor below, and a rifle range on the lowest floor of West Hall. 

References: Tomkies, p.2; Pictorial Review, p.3.