Named in honor of Tobacco firm Person-Garrett’s founder, Radford Marvin “Ralph” Garrett, this building along 5th Street originally served as a women’s dormitory. Dedicated on March 8, 1957, the three-story structure was the first dorm converted to “coed” use after residents petitioned the Board of Trustees to change the housing restrictions in 1974.
- Other names
- Dormitory for Women
- Built
- 1956
- Construction cost
- $830,000
- Gross sq. ft.
- 53,344
- Assignable sq. ft.
- 38,431
- Architects
- J. Griffith, Greenville, NC
- Namesake
- A native North Carolinian, Radford Marvin “Ralph” Garrett (1886-1955) was a leading figure in the tobacco industry, founding the Greenville firm of Person-Garrett in 1915. Garrett’s business background led to his appointment to the board of directors of the Greenville State Bank & Trust Company. He also served on the ECTC Board of Trustees from 1946 to 1955.
- History
- The dormitory was dedicated on Founders Day, March 8, 1957. At the time, the three story brick structure was the largest women’s dormitory on campus, and the first to be built in 25 years. Quicksand was discovered on the building site on the south side of Fifth Street near the western end of the campus.
Garrett was the first residence hall on campus to go “coed.” In 1974 a report was made by students living in Garrett to the Board of Trustees regarding the first year experiment with coed living.
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