Evans, Annie Laurie, Hall
Also known as: Center for Student Services
Why it's listed
Built in 1928, Annie Laurie Evans Hall is a three-story brick building at the center of the Prairie View A&M University campus. Louis E. Fry, a noted African American architect, designed it as a residence hall for 228 women, using modest Collegiate Gothic touches such as cast stone detailing at the entries and gabled parapets. Federal money and a grant from the Rockefeller-funded General Education Board paid for construction. The hall is named for Annie Laurie Evans, who taught English at the college from the early 1900s and served as its first Dean of Women. Its history reflects the campus expansion of the late 1920s and the part that white governmental and philanthropic agencies played in the African American college. A renovation in 1975-76 converted the dormitory interior to offices, added an elevator and replaced the original windows. Today it houses student service offices. It is significant for education, ethnic heritage, its association with Evans, and architecture.
Significance in brief: The hall reflects the growth of the student body and campus during the late 1920s and early 1930s, and the role of white governmental and philanthropic agencies, including the General Education Board, in running the African American campus. It is named for Annie Laurie Evans, the college's first Dean of Women. It is also an example of Collegiate Gothic design by a noted African American architect, significant at the state level.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 99000613, listed June 3, 1999. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | L.W. Minor St., building #0544, Prairie View |
|---|---|
| County | Waller County |
| Listed | June 3, 1999 |
| Reference number | 99000613 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1928 - 1948 |
| Architect / builder | Fry, Louis E. (architect) |
| Architectural style | Late 19th and 20th Century Revivals: Late Gothic Revival (Collegiate Gothic influence) |
| Criteria |
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| Areas of significance | Education, Black |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Renovated in 1975-76 and now used as a Center for Student Services housing university offices, including the Registrar and Financial Aid. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 30.09379, -95.98008 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
National Register listing is honorary for a privately owned home: it does not by itself restrict what an owner may do with their own money, and it does not require public access. Restrictions come from local landmark or historic-district ordinances, which are separate (how they differ).
Owner-occupied houses are not eligible for the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit, which applies to income-producing buildings, but many states offer credits for homeowners. Listing also opens the door to preservation easements and to buying a plaque. Start with what listing means for homeowners, renovating a listed house and selling one.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 99000613.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikidata Q107317529
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.