{"nrhp_refnum":"86001354","name":"Animal Science Building","other_names":["George Hart Hall"],"category":"building","location":{"address":"University of California, West Quad and Peter J. Shields Ave.","address_restricted":false,"city":"Davis","county":"Yolo County","state":"CA","lat":38.540847506000034,"lon":-121.75096157499996,"geom_source":"nps_gis"},"listed_date":"1986-06-17","is_nhl":false,"nhl_designated_date":null,"areas_of_significance":["Agriculture","Education","Science","Architecture"],"significance_levels":["state"],"summary":{"what_it_is":"Animal Science Building (later renamed Hart Hall) is a two- and three-story reinforced-concrete office and laboratory building on the central quadrangle of the University of California, Davis. It was built in 1928 to designs by architect William Charles Hays.","why_significant":"The nomination presents it as one of only two surviving first permanent buildings of the University Farm and as the work of an important Bay Area architect. It is also tied to the modernization of California agriculture through animal science research, teaching and extension work. It housed several departments that later grew into major units, including Veterinary Science, Entomology, Zoology, Genetics and Animal Physiology.","narrative":"Hart Hall, originally the Animal Science Building, is a reinforced-concrete office and laboratory building on the central quadrangle of the University of California, Davis. Completed in 1928 by the K. E. Parker Company from designs by San Francisco architect William Charles Hays, it is U-shaped, with pinkish-beige plaster walls, red Spanish tile roofs and a three-story octagonal entrance tower. Its detailing includes wrought iron balconies, copper fittings, groin-vaulted ceilings and a frieze of cast-cement rams' heads. It is one of only two surviving first permanent buildings of the University Farm. Under George H. Hart, who became head of animal husbandry in 1926, the program shifted toward research in nutrition, genetics and physiology, and the building housed that work. Findings from its laboratories influenced livestock practices across California. Other departments, including Veterinary Science, Entomology, Zoology and Genetics, also began here. Alterations have been limited, and the building still serves as offices and laboratories.","period_of_significance":"1900-","architect_builder":"William Charles Hays, F.A.I.A. (architect); K. E. Parker Company (builder)","architectural_style":"Spanish Revival","criteria":[],"status_note":"Occupied and in use as offices and laboratories; altered only slightly (minor alterations such as a new front door, wheelchair ramp, exterior elevator and air-conditioners).","vacant_flag":false,"machine_generated":true,"model":"claude-sonnet-5-5","prompt_version":"v1.0-2026-10-29","generated_at":"2026-10-29 02:54:28.227841-05","source_pdf":"https://s3.amazonaws.com/NARAprodstorage/lz/electronic-records/rg-079/NPS_CA/86001354.pdf"},"photo":{"url_800":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/media/86001354/f77f20227d-800.webp","url_1600":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/media/86001354/f77f20227d-1600.webp","licence":"CC BY-SA 4.0","author":"Venprof","credit_html":"<a href=\"https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Animal_Science_Building,_UC_Davis.jpg\" rel=\"noopener\">Venprof</a>, <a href=\"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0\" rel=\"license noopener\">CC BY-SA 4.0</a>, via Wikimedia Commons","source_page":"https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Animal_Science_Building,_UC_Davis.jpg"},"district":null,"sources":{"nps_snapshot_date":"2026-05-22","nara_catalog":"https://catalog.archives.gov/id/123862378","wikipedia":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Hart_Hall","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q127775513"},"indexable":true,"url":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/california/yolo-county/animal-science-building-86001354/"}