Martha Van Rensselaer Hall

Located off Reservoir Avenue on Cornell's North Central campus.

A pioneer educator of women, Martha Van Rensselaer (1864-1932) joined the faculty of Cornell University in 1900 to give extension courses in home economics with the vision of advancing opportunities for women from rural communities. In 1908, she, along with her colleague Flora Rose, became the first full-time women professors at Cornell. She was instrumental in the establishment of Cornell’s School of Home Economics in 1919, of which she was a director. It later became the New York State College of Home Economics and is now Cornell’s College of Human Ecology.

Martha Van Rensselaer Hall was built between 1931 and 1933 and was designed by William Haugaard of the New York State Dormitory Authority. The Hall has since gone through three major additions to the north, east, and west. The north addition was demolished in 2006 due to structural issues. Martha Van Rennsselaer Hall is listed on the New York State and National Register of Historic Places.

Source: History Center in Tompkins County & Cornell University

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