Crawford Center was the first building constructed
and occupied on the new Highland Campus, narrowly beating the
Wilson Campus School building into service by a little more than
a month. Built in two stages, Crawford Center was the first residence
hall on the upper campus of the then-Mankato State College. The
first stage was completed in 1959, the final stage in 1967. Construction
began in summer of 1958, and the A and B wings were ready for
the residence hall opening Sept. 19, 1959, for the start of the
1959-60 school year. The center is named in honor of Clarence
L. Crawford, seventh president of the institution who served in
that capacity from 1946 to 1965.
