Rutherford Hall

Old Rutherford Hall building floor plans, from the UGA Special Collections Library.

Built in 1939, the Old Rutherford Hall was the University of Georgia’s third woman-only residence hall. The dormitory was named after a native to Athens, Georgia, Mildred Rutherford. Mildred Rutherford was born in Athens in 1851, and made a large impact in the town throughout her life. Her father was a professor at the University of Georgia, and their family played a large role in the civil war. Mildred Rutherford helped assist soldiers and veterans during the war, which led her to found the Athens Ladies Memorial Association. Additionally, she founded the Athens chapter of the Georgia Division of the United Daughters of the Confederacy and is considered a historian for life. During her life, she wrote a great deal about the Civil War Era and spoke about the significance of the time period. Mildred Rutherford would always be remembered at the University of Georgia  through university housing. The old Rutherford dormitory building, named in her honor, was a colonial revival style building which housed 159 students. Sadly, the building accumulated significant damage over time. By 2011, the building did not have proper draining, inaccessible utility lines, and contained mold. The dorm was rebuilt in 2013 to accommodate more student living and solve issues that the other building contained. The New Rutherford hall now houses 260 students and has retained the Colonial Revival style structure it was known for.