Hilltopper Heritage

Building History - Pearce-Ford Tower

Namesake - W.M. Pearce served as Director of the Department of Extension and Correspondence from 1920-1959. He was not only outstanding in his area of responsibility but served as a personal advisor and unofficial aid to both Dr. H.H. Cherry and to Dr. Paul L. Garrett.

M.C. Ford was a member of the faculty at Western from 1913-1940. He was head of the Department of Agriculture for the last twenty-two years of his service, 1918 to 1940,when a tragic automobile accident took his life. He was not only outstanding in his area of responsibility but served as a personal advisor and unofficial aid to both Dr. H.H. Cherry and to Dr. Paul L. Garrett.

History - The 27 story men’s dormitory opened in the fall of 1970 and accommodated 920 residents. At the time, it was the tallest building in Southern Kentucky at 246 feet, 7 inches. Pearce Ford Tower is 180,400 square feet and haS apartments for a dorm director and two assistants. During 1993-94 the first ten floors were reopened before renovations were completed due to an unexpected increase in the number of incoming freshman.

Additions - 1988 - bricks that had begun “flaking” were repaired.

1993-94 - renovations - interior repainted, installed shower partitions and refurnished all common areas of the building

See also - Pearce-Ford Tower Ghost

Researched and written by Jenna Hawkins, 2008