Girton Hall, Berkeley, California
historic place
Girton Hall, a historic place in Berkeley, California's Alameda County, was designed by architect Julia Morgan. Completed in 1911, it served as a vital gathering space for female students at the University of California, Berkeley. Women students initiated its planning and fundraising in 1909, aiming for a dedicated social hall. Initially known as Girton Hall, it was officially called Senior Women's Hall upon its 1911 opening. The building was moved in 1940 for a street extension. In 1969, its name reverted to Girton Hall when it became a childcare center. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1991. In 2014, Girton Hall was carefully relocated. It was cut into four pieces and moved to the UC Botanical Garden to accommodate campus expansion. Reassembled and restored, it reopened in 2015 as Julia Morgan Hall, honoring its architect. This building, now overlooking the garden's native California plant collection, represents a significant part of women's history at the university.