Which building on campus has served as an auditorium, a movie theater, the site of commencement ceremonies... and now the Special Collections Library? That’s right, its Webster Hall. For this week’s #throwbackthursday, we are highlighting the dynamic past of the building that Rauner currently resides in. Constructed in 1907, Webster Hall quickly became the place for community gatherings on campus given its spacious layout that included hundreds of seating options. This also made it ideal for graduation, which was hosted in the building from 1908 to the mid-1900s. In 1944, the building assumed a new (but temporary) role of a cinema after a fire destroyed the local theater, The Nugget. Movies were played in the building for approximately five years, with adult admission tickets reaching the hefty price of 44 cents. Towards the latter half of the century, Webster Hall would continue to host various plays and speeches before renovations began. The lower seating area was removed in 1987, with the stage disappearing shortly thereafter. Ultimately, these changes made way for Webster Hall to undergo a more dramatic transformation, with construction for Rauner Special Collections Library beginning in 1997. The space would be functional by the very end of 1998, and has been home to archives, rare books, manuscripts, and more ever since! #throwbackthursday #thenandnow #dartmouth #dartmouthcollege #websterhall #rauner #specialcollections #library #libraries #archives #architecture Second image taken by our Special Collections Fellow, Sydnie Ziegler '22.