BESSEY HALL

A Plant Industry Building was named as an important need in the Biennial Report for 1922-24. In a discussion of the future building program for the campus the Iowa State Daily Student, on December 14, 1946, included the building in a list of those under “tentative plans”. A Plant Science Building was mentioned under the same heading in the paper for June 3, 1950. Six years later it was in the category of “desperately needed”.¹

Funds became available for the project with the appropriation of $2,800,000 by the 60th General Assembly in the spring of 1963, and with a National Science Foundation grant of $1,099,500.² The agreement with the architect was executed in September of that year. Construction contracts were awarded in January 1965. The building was put into use in the fall of 1967 although all equipment was not installed until later.

Bessey Hall was named for Charles E. Bessey, one of the original college faculty members and a notable research botanist.

The building provides facilities for both the botany and forestry departments and was designed with a greenhouse on the top level.