Rachel Marwedel
Staff Writer
Built in 1924, this year marks the 100th birthday of Frazier Hall, the oldest standing building at Idaho State University. Over the years, it’s had a rich history, ranging from libraries to museums to ghosts. Let’s take a look back at its storied past.
In 1924, Idaho State University was known as Idaho Technical Institute, a two-year vocational college. Frazier was built to hold an auditorium, a library, the Administration offices, a large lecture room, a faculty room, and two museums. The original plans were to include a balcony in the auditorium, but it was postponed due to a lack of funds (the balcony would be built later in 1941).
Frazier Hall was the first building of “collegiate status” in Idaho. Until the construction of the Stephen Performing Arts Center, its lower floor served as the main performance hall on campus, hosting everything from operas to plays to concerts. The top floor housed the library, which would later move several times before ending up at the Eli M. Oboler library we know today.
In 1951, Eli Oboler joined the staff and thus began the move of books out of Frazier. When deciding how to move the books, Obeler suggested rigging up a slide from the third floor of Frazier and letting the books make their way into a truck. But of course, the slide had to be tested! So now, a wonderful picture exists in the ISU Special Collections of Eli Oboler sliding down from the third floor of Frazier.
The Hall was named after Charles R. Frazier, Professor of Education and then-President of ISU. Interestingly enough – at the time, Frazier was leading a push for the college to become a four-year university. He banded together with politicians to push it into law. But the bill failed, the politicians left, and Frazier was left alone, ripe for the State Board of Education to swoop in. While Frazier had been dedicated to his crusade for a four-year university, he had not received approval from the Board. After exhaustive interrogation, Frazier left the Board meeting assured that he had smoothed it over. Not so. Two months later, the Board sent a letter requesting his resignation. Though Frazier responded by denying having done anything wrong, in the end, he left the college that summer. Time would come to exonerate Frazier, as years later, “riotous celebrations” at the advent of becoming a four-year university would be held in that very Hall.
Frazier Hall is also the center of paranormal activity on campus. Many have claimed to see strange shapes and movements in the performance space. Try looking up at the building’s top middle window to catch a sighting. Some have seen a woman watching.
To offer a different perspective, this humble reporter has been in the belly of the beast. For unrelated reasons, I once found myself in the winding tunnels underneath the auditorium of Frazier Hall. And tunnels they are. An extremely steep and incredibly narrow (barely even 40” wide) spiral staircase leads down into concrete rooms. While some remain in use by the Theater and Dance department, others remain empty. I found one room graffitied and another with only a single mirror and a chair. Deeper still, I found a small door set into the wall, steps leading up to it. Its paint was stuck, and it would barely open, but I wrenched it open after several minutes. Inside was the underneath of the stage – filled with a strange fog. I’m not certain I believe in ghosts, but if anywhere were to have them, Frazier Hall would be my first pick.
Today, Frazier Hall hosts the Communication, Media, and Persuasion department. It’s been for 100 years – let’s hope it’s here for 100 more.
