 
Although Ceres Hall was the first women's dormitory on the North Dakota
Agricultural College campus, it was not the
first women's dormitory for the college. In 1909 the State Legislature
approved the construction of a women's building on campus, allocating
over $85,000 between 1908-10 for the construction of Ceres Hall. (Tenth
Biennial Report, November 1, 1910, pp. 361, 364).
Ceres Hall was not the first name choice for the building. In April of
1950, Mrs. Jessamine Slaughter Burgum wrote "When the question came up
to build Ceres Hall, it was suggested to name it after the first girl
student, who had enrolled from Bismarck. It was agreed, and one trustee
asked, 'What was her name?' 'Why, Jessie Slaughter, from Bismarck.' 'Oh,
then the students will be calling it 'the Slaughter House' instead of
Slaughter Hall,' so they decided to call it Ceres Hall after the Goddess
of Wheat, (instead of Meat)." (Hunter, Beacon Across the
Prairie, p. 35).
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Ceres Hall is designed in the Classical Revival style, and is comprised
of three stories and full story attic. The facade of Ceres Hall is 165
feet wide, facing south, and has two wings projecting to the rear, one
104 feet deep and the other 78 feet deep. (NDAC Catalog,
1910-1911, p. 22). The building is constructed of yellow brick
with sandstone trim, and features jack-arched lintels and keystones over
the second story windows; sandstone sills and belt courses; Roman Ionic
capitals atop engaged pilasters on the south and west facades; and a symmetrical
facade with two off-center projecting four story tower/entrances. The
architects were the
Hancock Brothers of Fargo. (National Register Nomination
Form, 1986, p. 4).
Minor changes made to plans
      
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