Photo by: Katy Owens

Mary Reed Hall, the iconic DU landmark, is turning 80 this month.

Since the  cornerstone was laid on Feb. 12, 1932, the building has collected the history of DU in its volumes.

Verner Z. Reed left his hard-earned fortune of $20 million  to his wife, Mary Reed, who donated a total of $350,000  to the DU to replace the former Andrew S. Carnegie Library. The university chose to build a new library named after the donor in a central part of campus with a beautiful view of the Rocky Mountains.

“Mary Reed’s most salient quality is its unique architecture,” said Shawn Alfrey, assistant director of the University Honors Program, located in the basement of Mary Reed. “It’s an elegant, old building really, with a distinctly Gothic, collegiate feel to it. You can tell that the architects put a lot of thought into building Mary Reed.”

Use of Mary Reed Hall as a library was discontinued in 1972 due to a lack of space for reading collections, coinciding with the completion of the new Penrose Library.

However, Mary Reed Hall is far from an old relic; today it is home to many programs crucial to DU among these University Communications, the offices of the chancellor, vice chancellor and provost, and the Institute for Public Policy Studies.

Two classrooms in the basement of Mary Reed, once home to the Museum of Anthropology, are still being utilized for certain seminar-style classes.

Considered one of the best-kept secrets on campus by many, the Book Stack program, named “the best used bookstore in Denver” by Westword magazine, is also located on the first floor of Mary Reed.

“People always want to get rid of their books,” said William Trout, first-year Honors student who completes his work-study with the Book Stack. “They offer a better solution to throwing away used books, selling decent, sometimes even rare books for cheap.”

As far as interesting nooks and crannies of Mary Reed, there are a few interesting old rooms and studying spaces.

“Outside, there is a terrace with a breathtaking view of the Rocky Mountains, and it’s right next to the fountain and close to the Humanities Gardens,” recommends Alfrey.

The Renaissance Room on the second floor seems to stand out in the minds of those who know it. It was restored to its original luster in a 2008 renovation.

“There’s a bunch of stone busts and elegant paintings, tons and tons of ornate-looking books and bookshelves and tables and comfy chairs by windows,” said Trout. “I’m surprised more people don’t study there; it’s perfectly quiet, and really a beautiful room to just stand in.”

“Not many students know that there’s a gorgeous old grand piano that’s hardly ever played in the Renaissance Room,” Alfrey said. “Or that there’s a skywalk on the third or fourth floor that goes directly over the Renaissance Room. Though I’m not sure if it’s open to students at the time.”

Needless to say, Mary Reed’s beautiful architecture, secret treasures and haunted halls will continue to remain a steadfast source of fascination for DU students.

Pictures of Mary Reed Hall  through the years, as well as the rest of campus, are available in archives through the Penrose library site.