Delaware Valley University Archives

Admissions Center

The Admissions Center was originally built in 1921 to be a home for the school’s president. In 1946 it was converted to an office building with a photographic laboratory for student use in the basement. Currently the building is entirely devoted to admissions.

Allman Building

For years after its completion in 1929, the Allman Building, named for Herbert D. Allman, contained a post office, carpentry and forge shops and space for agriculture machinery. In 1986-87 the lower level was converted into a small animal science laboratory, while the ground level was remodeled into classrooms for Business Administration and Computer Information Systems Management.

Alumni House

The Alumni House, with 21 acres, was given to the school in 1930 by NFS graduates. Today, in addition to the house, the acres contain the Student Center, the Roadside Market, the Security Building, Parking Lots A and B, and the James Work Stadium. 

Berkowitz Hall

Berkowitz Hall was completed in 1970 dedicated in honor of Leon L. Berkowitz, who served as trustee, vice chairman and chairman of the Board of Trustees and was a nephew of Joseph Krauskopf.

Block Chapel

Donated in memory of Ida M. Block by her husband and family in 1899, the Ida M. Block Memorial Chapel was one of the first buildings erected at the National Farm School. The founder, Dr. Joseph Krauskopf, conducted nonsectarian services regularly in the chapel until his death in 1923.

Cooke & Barness Halls

Ethel Cooke Hall was built in 1960 to house 72 students and two faculty apartments. In 1972, it was made the first women's dormitory on campus.

The gift of Herbert Barness, a trustee of the college, Barness Hall was built in 1960 as a dormitory for 74 students.

Eisner Hall

The Zadok M. Eisner Building was first used as a dormitory in 1899. It was reconditioned in 1947 to house inorganic and organic chemistry laboratories. In 1960 it was modified to serve as an annex of the Krauskopf Library. Today it serves as the Tutoring Center for the college.

Elson Hall

When Edwin B. Elson Hall was dedicated in 1950, it was a single story structure containing 22 dormitory rooms, each accommodating two students. There were also two large rooms, one used as an art studio, the other as a classroom. The building was constructed through the generosity of Edwin B. Elson, a trustee of the school. It now serves as the Health Center.

Equine Center

The Equine Center contains an indoor arena, forty-eight stalls, tack and harness rooms, wash stalls, a carriage room and student lockers.

Roadside Market

A roadside market run exclusively by students opened in 1932. The Fleming Family of Shady Brook Farm in Yardley, has managed The Market at DelVal University since 2008.

Feldman Building

The Feldman Agricultural Building, built in 1972, houses the college’s Computer Center, plant science and animal science laboratories, freshman biology and chemistry laboratories, classrooms and faculty offices. It was dedicated to Baruch M. Feldman.

Hirsh Botanical Laboratory

The Edward Hirsch Botanical Laboratory, which today is part of the Greenhouse Laboratory Complex, was given to the school by Mr. and Mrs. Harry Hirsh in memory of their son in 1918.

Horticulture Building

Designed by the chairman of the Horticulture Department, David M. Purmell, the Horticulture Building, completed in 1925, enabled the school to store produce. It also provided classroom and laboratory space. In 1988 the building was renamed the Joshua Feldstein Horticulture Center.

Joseph Krauskopf Memorial Library

In 1924, the school’s trustees built the Joseph Krauskopf Memorial Library. They felt no finer tribute could be paid to the memory of the school’s founder, Dr. Joseph Krauskopf, whose will gave his personal library, containing hundreds of books, to the school. To house these books, an exact replica of his home library was added to the building. In 1969, to accommodate the expanded curriculum, the Samuel Cooke and the Harry Shapiro wings were added to the building. In 1996 the Arthur and Rita Poley Gallery was established in the building.

Lasker Hall

When Lasker Hall was constructed in 1917, it was the focal point for the layout of the campus. It originally contained a dining hall, kitchen, student lounge, student store, and infirmary. Today, it houses the college’s administrative offices, including the office of the president.

Levin Dining Hall

The David Levin Dining Hall was completed in 1967. It contained a kitchen, a faculty dining room and a student dining room with a seating capacity of 400.

Mandell Science Building

An impressive Neo-Georgian building housing eleven laboratories, four classrooms and an auditorium, the Mandell Building was named in honor of Samuel P. Mandell, a trustee of the college whose generosity made its construction in 1965 possible. A large addition to the Mandell Building was completed to house the Jefferson Center, a research center for Thomas Jefferson University.

Miller Hall

Originally named Pennsylvania Hall in 1910, Miller Hall was renamed in 1975 in honor of Daniel Miller, a graduate and long-time staff member of the college. The building was used as a student dormitory until 1947 when it was renovated into three apartments for faculty members. Today, Miller Hall is the center for the English Department and Writing Center.

Pioneer Hall

Dr. Krauskopf personally raised $10,000 for Main Building, also called Pioneer Hall, the first building constructed on the farm he had purchased for a school. The building contained classrooms, library, dining hall, kitchen, laundry, gymnasium, dormitory rooms, office and quarters for the Dean. It stood on the site of today’s library, facing the railroad tracks. The first students came to Pioneer Hall in 1897. Fire destroyed the building in 1923.

Samuel Hall

A student dormitory with living quarters for one faculty family, Samuel Hall stands beside Goldman Hall facing Alumni Lane. It was built in 1966.

Segal Hall

In 1906 Adolph Segal of Philadelphia, PA, donated funds to build a dormitory that also contained a study hall, a recreation room and a library. The large 25 x 30 foot recreation room occupied most of the first floor. Second floor dormitory space was arranged in cubicles, each with a window. In the basement was a power plant that supplied the building with steam heat and electric power. A laundry was installed in a wing of the building. In 1946 a dairy laboratory and a soils and geology laboratory were established in the basement. The second floor was then converted from a dormitory to a biological laboratory. The office of the Professor of Biology was at the north end of the second floor, and the office of the Professor of Soils at the south end. Today Segal Hall houses the college’s Academic Services.

Student Center

The Student Center, completed in 1983, contains an 8,000 square foot all-purpose room, a snack bar, student store, bookstore and the college post office. On the second floor of the building are offices of the Dean of Students and the Directors of Residence Life, the college radio station, a music room, three conference rooms and an additional meeting room.

Train Station

"Farm School" had been a railroad station stop for 72 years. It was the first station stop west of Doylestown on the Reading Railroad's Doylestown to Lansdale branch. In 1968 the train station was changed from Farm School to Delaware Valley College.

Another interesting note is that until December 31, 1955, the station was also a post office and bore its own postal cancellation mark for thousands of students who mailed their letters on the campus.

Ulman Hall

The Rosetta M. Ulman Dormitory was erected as a dormitory in 1923 with a student store and athletic dressing rooms in the basement. Stone salvaged from Pioneer Hall was used in the walls of Ulman Hall.

Wolfsohn Hall

Originally called Senior Dormitory, Wolfsohn Hall, a one-story dormitory, was named for Nathan N. Wolfsohn whose estate provided funding for the building. Built in 1955 next to Elson Hall and similar to Elson in design, it housed students and contained a faculty apartment and a classroom. It was replaced with South Hall.

Work Gym

The James Work Gym, completed in 1971, adjoins the Rudley-Neuman Gymnasium and contains a large basketball court with a seating capacity of 1800, locker rooms, showers, offices and a spacious lobby. The building was used as a student center until 1983 when the present Student Center was built.

Work Hall

James Work Hall, completed in 1964, was named for James Work, graduate and respected president of the college. Upon completion, Work Hall housed 114 students and contained the main student lounges.

Work Memorial Stadium

The James Work Memorial Stadium includes a football field and an all weather six-lane 400 meter track with an eight lane 110 meter straightaway. Beneath the home side grandstand are two locker rooms, a training room, a concession booth, public lavatories, an equipment storage room and a reception room.