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Walking tour shares history of EWU Historic District

EWU archivist Charles Mutschler tells members of a walking tour of the campus about Showalter Hall, the university's main administration building. Photo courtesy of Eastern Washington University (Photo courtesy of Eastern Washington University / The Spokesman-Review)
Stefanie Pettit Correspondent
EWU archivist Charles Mutschler tells members of a walking tour of the campus about Showalter Hall, the university's main administration building. Photo courtesy of Eastern Washington University (Photo courtesy of Eastern Washington University / The Spokesman-Review)

CHENEY – The annual Eastern Washington University Friends of the Library walking tour of the university’s historic campus on Monday promises to be a trip through history and architecture and personalities – with a bit of scandal, destruction and mayhem thrown in.

So says Charles Mutschler, EWU’s archivist, who conducts the 90-minute narrated tour each summer, sharing facts and figures – and idiosyncrasies, colorful events and interesting insights – as he guides the public through the EWU Historic District, which is on the National Register of Historic Places.

The tour begins with a slide presentation at 6 p.m. in the second-floor lounge of Monroe Hall and concludes there with light refreshments and a reception. There is no cost, but Mutschler said the Friends of the Library appreciates donations to support its activities.

Weaving in stories about the people who built, rebuilt and at times saved the university, along with background about the buildings and history of EWU, Mutschler says he tries to paint a picture of the times and events that took place at the site from 1882 to the present.

As for the scandal, destruction and mayhem – he tells about William J. Sutton, who helped convince the state Legislature to fund rebuilding of the original normal school after it burned down in 1912. Sutton was a former principal and professor of mathematics who fell in love with a teacher at the school. Dating on the job in the late 1800s was just not done, Mutschler said, so they both had to resign to get married.

As for destruction, there are tales about the three great fires – the burning down of the old Cheney Academy in 1891, the normal school in 1912 and the field house in 1977. Part of the reason for the fires had to do with construction techniques at the time, said Mutschler, who explains during the tour.

The mayhem has more to do with crowding than anything else. According to Mutschler, an interesting time was had after World War II when returning soldiers and their families were housed in “Trailerville” on campus, the first married-student housing.

“This was a grouping of 75 very tiny trailers that had no toilets or showers, just a little sink,” Mutschler said. “It was like camping out for four years.”

He also tells about a fact unique to EWU. “To the best of my knowledge, Eastern is the only public, four-year institution that has a building named for a custodian,” he said. “That would be Pearce Hall, a residence hall, named in 1964 for George Pearce, one of the most beloved personalities that ever walked our campus.”

The EWU Friends of the Library, a group that supports EWU libraries and its services and helps with library programming, has for the past 10 years presented the walking tour as a public service. Information is available at www.ewu.edu/library.

As a further public service, Mutschler reminds all who will be attending that comfortable walking shoes and perhaps a sun hat might be in order.