Alumni Chapel — History

| The First Wedding |

The idea to build a memorial to alumni killed in the nation's wars was first proposed to the University by the Alumni Office in 1944.

A survey was sent to alumni asking if they would be willing to donate money to build a "badly needed auditorium" as a memorial building.

Among those who responded, there was a willingness to contribute to a memorial building, but not a "badly needed" one.

As a result, the concept evolved into a chapel and the fund drive was in full swing by 1948.

Appeals were made by the Alumni Office to alumni, students, faculty, staff, and businesses for money to build the chapel.

By 1953, $40,000 had been raised.

Architect John Gaw Meem of the firm Meem, Holien, Buckley and Associates, drew the first building plans in February, 1954.

With the estimated cost of the chapel at $85,000, the Alumni Office continued to raise money.

Alumni Director Winifred Reiter formed an Alumni Committee on Building the War Memorial Chapel in 1957.

By then the cost of the building had risen to $100,000 and was rising at a faster rate than donations could keep up.

Because of this the committee felt the urgent need to begin the project.

They investigated many possibilities for raising the remaining funds including an appeal at half-time during the 1957 Homecoming game and advertising the bid along with the new student union building to get a cheaper price on their building.

Plans and fund raising continued and by 1959 $75,000 had been raised.

Since the cost was still more than the money on hand, Meem was asked to eliminate the retablos and other furnishings from the bid and prepare a revised estimate of cost.

The plans were finalized December 28, 1959, bids were advertised in January 1960 and the contract awarded to Bradbury and Stamm Construction March 2, 1960.

The original site proposals for the building were near today's Ortega Hall, north of Mesa Vista, in the grove of trees north of Zimmerman Library and the current site near Scholes Hall.

Architect John Gaw Meem wanted the building centrally located north of Mesa Vista because students could get "physical refreshment" from the Student Union and "spiritual refreshment" from the nearby chapel.

The consulting firm of John Carl Warnecke and Associates were preparing a campus master plan.

They were consulted about the chapel site and suggested that it be built on the site near Scholes Hall, reserving the interior campus space for constantly used academic buildings.

The architecture of the building is based on Franciscan Mission style and cost $106,000 to build.

The building is constructed of hollow tile and shale brick.

The contour base, corners and parapets are constructed from the materials chipped to obtain the indicated profiles.

The landscaping was designed by the Chapel Building Committee, members of the UNM Physical Plant and architect Edward Holien.

The main plantings were red bud, forsythia, fountain juniper, coral berry, hopa crab and pine trees, all planted in irregular patterns.

Large planters in front of the chapel were designed for tulips, iris, chrysanthemums and narcissus.

The furnishings were purchased with alumni donated funds and added in 1964.

The reredos above the altar was designed by art Professor John Tatschl following sketches by John Gaw Meem. It was installed in 1963.

The retablos were painted by John M. Gonzales of Las Vegas, New Mexico, in 1984.

The chapel also has a 15'x 25' American flag that can be lowered over the retablos when desired.

The Alumni Memorial Chapel is non-denominational and available to students, faculty, staff and alumni for a variety of functions including weddings, memorial services and religious ceremonies.

But the primary use of the chapel remains the same: a solemn memorial, paid for by their fellow students, to give undying honor to The University of New Mexico's war dead.

Names of those who paid the final price in WWI, WWII, Korea and Vietnam are listed on the south wall.

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Source: Terry Gugliotta, University Archivist

Learn more about the history of
The University of New Mexico by visiting
The University of New Mexico Archives website.