South Hall: A Living Piece of Berkeley History

South Hall stands as a proud monument to the University of California, Berkeley's earliest days. Completed in 1873, it is the oldest building on campus and the only remaining structure from the original six-building university nucleus. Designed by Scottish architect David Farquharson in the Second Empire style, South Hall showcases a distinctive European architectural flair rare on the West Coast. The building's architecture features a mansard roof, dormer windows, and ornamental iron cresting. Look closely at the north and south facades to see cast iron panels depicting California's native fruits and grains, a nod to South Hall's original role as home to the College of Agriculture. The building has housed various departments throughout its history, including the first physics laboratory in the United States, the Business School, and the Departments of Economics, Political Science, and Sociology. Today, it houses the School of Information. South Hall is located in the heart of the UC Berkeley campus, near Doe Library and Sather Tower (the Campanile). Visitors can admire the building's exterior details, including the small stone bear on the balcony railing above the entrance, rumored to be the smallest bear statue on campus. While the interior is primarily for academic use, the building's historical significance and architectural charm make it a must-see landmark on any campus tour.