Houston Hall was completed in 1881 and was originally used as a seminary. In 1959, the seminary was disbanded and Houston Hall was converted into a male residential community. In the 1960’s, the basement of Houston Hall was used to house the offices for Student Publications.  Since 1961 Houston Hall has received many renovations and improvements, most notably a new heating system, renovated bathrooms, and a roof replacement. Presently, Houston hall is a three-story 44-bed upper-class male residence hall with community bathrooms.

Named in honor of...

Henry Howard Houston

Henry Howard Houston was born in 1820 in Wrightsville, Pennsylvania, to Samuel Nelson Houston and Susan Strickler. He left school at fourteen and began his working life in the mercantile industry. In 1840 he was employed at an iron forge owned by James Buchanan (later U.S. President), at the Lucinda Furnace in Clarion County, Pennsylvania. In 1847 he began working for a canal and railway transportation company in Philadelphia, and by 1850 he had joined with the Pennsylvania Railroad as an agent in their freight department. Houston quickly rose in the ranks to become general freight agent for the entire railroad in 1852. In 1867 Houston left the Pennsylvania Railroad to start a number of transportation companies which where directly and favorably connected to the Pennsylvania Railroad. In addition to Union Freight Line and the international Navigation Company, Houston invested in a large number of railroads and related industries, such as iron and steel works, during this period. In 1881 he earned a position on Pennsylvania Railroad's board of directors and served until his death in June of 1895. Henry Howard Houston stated in his will that he gave largely from his "income during his life to educational, religious, and charitable institutions and to private objects of charity" and practiced a method of philanthropy in which he gave at least one-tenth of his income to charity. In addition to donating funds, Houston was directly involved in a number of charitable and educational institutions. Houston also served on the board of directors of the Pennsylvania School for the Deaf.