Norton Hall, Beeches
Norton Hall, Beeches location
In the early 1920s, the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary moved from downtown Louisville to its new home at “The Beeches,” a suburban location on Lexington Road. In November of 1924, the seminary community laid the cornerstone for a new Norton Hall. When the seminary began to occupy the building in March of 1926, it provided a library, classrooms, administrative and faculty offices, and a chapel. The prestigious Boston firm of Frederick Law Olmsted and Company designed the layout for the new campus, and building architectural designs were prepared by James Gamble Rogers.
The northeast classroom wing of Norton Hall was added in 1947. In 1999, the seminary dedicated Broadus Chapel, which has since hosted several faculty addresses and worship services. The Towery Plaza, the structure’s central open-air community gathering space which faces the seminary lawn, owes its existence to the Christian generosity of Ken and Joanne Towery and was dedicated April 19, 2011.