Southern Vermont College Students Affectionately Remember Living in 'Florida Stucco Style' Dorms Through Bennington, VT Winters

Southern Vermont College stucco dorms.

College campuses are known for their beautiful architecture, and SVC was no different. The Everett Mansion was the pride of Southern Vermont College and all of Bennington. Built in the Norman Revival and Beaux-Arts styles, the Mansion resembled a feudal castle. 

At the opposite extreme, SVC's stucco dorms were not architecturally significant, to put it mildly. This photo dates back to the late 1990's and shows Aldis Hall, Bowen Hall, and Cady Hall (affectionately known as A, B, and C dorms). The dining hall and the edge of Darby Hall can be seen on the far right. 

Aldis Hall, Bowen Hall, and Cady Hall were the first dormitories to be constructed on the SVC campus, built in 1985. Often ridiculed for their tropical appearance and paper mache-like exterior, the dorms did not jive with the storied past of the Everett Mansion. Appearances improved under the administration of President Barbara Sirvis, who wrapped the dorms in grey clapboard vinyl siding to achieve a more 'New England style' look. Her efforts were greatly appreciated.

Thin walls with zero soundproofing, rooms coated with 40 layers of paint, and showers that took an eternity to heat up were just a few of the trademark attributes of living on campus at Southern Vermont College. As is often the case with despised architecture, alumni who once lived in SVC's stucco dorms have warmed up to the memories of Florida style living in Vermont. While the dorms once evoked widespread hatred, alumni look back on their college days through rose-colored glasses and are reminded of the wistful memories that took place in those once loathed buildings. 

Can we start a petition to add the SVC dorms to the National Register of Historic Places? Just Sayin'.