Goodbye, Hadley Hall

Mark Alden Branch ’86

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Helen Hadley Hall wasn’t the university’s most distinguished building, but it had its place in Yale history and in the hearts of some of the many students who lived there over its 66 years as a residence. Built in 1958 to house women in the graduate and professional schools, it went coed in 1969. Its demolition, which began in June, drew mixed reaction from readers online. “The best friends I made at Yale were grad and professional students that lived here, including international students,” wrote Deidre Dawson ’89PhD. “The accommodations were spartan, but the shared spaces fostered a sense of community.” Tim Goplerud ’83 remembered that “a grad student friend of mine always referred to it as ‘Smellin’ Badly Hall.’” The site will eventually become part of a new quadrangle for the School of Engineering and Applied Sciences.