Watkins and Miller Halls

Elizabeth Miller Watkins was the greatest benefactress of the University of Kansas. Her innovative vision for a women’s scholarship hall was the first of its kind in the nation. Watkins Hall, built in 1926, and its twin Miller Hall, in 1937, are striking examples of architecture influencing behavior. Elizabeth’s letters show how she conceived, designed, and even decorated “her” halls for “her” girls. Read about the evolution of student life and customs of the times in these two halls, as they reach ninety and eighty years of age. The story is told in the words and photos of the women who lived in them from 1926 to the present.