Old Gym (Vanderbilt University)

Old Gym is one of the surviving Victorian buildings that characterized the early style of the Vanderbilt University campus in Nashville, Tennessee. The Old Gym was originally a gymnasium, later served as the Fine Arts Building, and currently houses the university's admissions office.

Between Old Gym and E. Bronson Ingram College

Old Gym
Old Gym on Vanderbilt University campus
General information
Architectural style	Victorian
Location	2301 West End Ave. Nashville, TN
Construction started	1879
Completed	1880
Technical details
Floor count	3
Floor area	11,560 sq ft (1,074 m2)
Design and construction
Architect(s)	Peter J. Williamson (assumed)

Gymnasium, Vanderbilt University
U.S. National Register of Historic Places
Coordinates	36°8′54″N 86°48′18″W
Area	1 acre (0.40 ha)
Architectural style	Victorian
NRHP reference No.	72001233[1]
Added to NRHP	February 23, 1972

History

The gymnasium was completed in 1880 and featured an indoor running track and considerable gymnastic equipment. At the time, it was one of the best equipped gymnasiums in the southern United States. The exterior of the building remains fairly untouched while the interior space has been modified through the years and uses of the building.^[2]

The Old Gym is on the National Register of Historic Places.^[1] The building consisted of a foundation of Tennessee limestone with a structure of wooden trusses and walls of natural finished red brick. The Mansard roof was covered with slate shingles. Some of the original gymnastic equipment included a leaping rig, a vaulting board, rowing machine, parallel bars, trapeze ropes, Indian clubs, dumb bells and a walnut chest expander.^[2]

Remodeling

In 1962 the Old Gym was renovated and made into the Fine Arts Building by Warfield and Associates. The remodeling project included the removal of the second-floor running track and the addition of heating and cooling throughout the building.^[3]

References

1. "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. July 9, 2010.
2. Senkerith, Anatole Jr. (1970), Historic American Buildings Survey: HABS #TENN 11, US Department of the Interior, National Park Service
3. Suter, John, E. (1961), Interoffice Correspondence, May 15, 1961. Subject: Remodelling the Little Gymnasium{{citation}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)