About Barker
Lyon Hall was first opened in January of 1915, after years of discussion and controversy concerning how the shortage of housing (especially women's housing) should be dealt with. It originally held 74 women, but the top floor was finished in July in order to accomodate 26 more females.
Originally, the building was not given a name. In 1916, it was designated West hall, but in 1928, it was renamed Lyon Hall in honor of Lyon (1797-1849). (Lyon was the founder of Mount Holyoke College, a female seminary and the first school of higher education for women. She founded the school in 1837 and served there as a principal until her death.)
During the Depression, enrollment at Iowa State dropped, and Lyon Hall was closed from the winter of 1933 through the spring of 1934.
When the Navy took over in 1942, the Lyon Hall girls moved into Delta Tau Delta, Sigma Chi, private rooming houses, and Oak Hall. However, during this time apart, they retained their identity as Lyon Hall residents and kept in touch through meetings and newsletters.
After World War II, in the fall of 1957, the women again moved back onto the floors of Lyon. However, this was short-lived; at the end of the semester, it was decided to house graduate men in the residence hall. The men loved the atmosphere of the floor, as reported in the Iowa State Daily (October 18, 1957), despite the lack of shower facilities and lighting for mirrors.
When the graduate men were moved to Helser MacDonald in 1963, the women returned to their home to stay. They were vacated briefly in the spring of 1964 for a complete renovation of the building (including replacing the wiring and plumbing, expanding and renovating all bathrooms, replacing floor tile, installing new locks on doors, converting the dining room into permanent student rooms, and building a kitchenette in the hall director's apartment).
Lyon Hall became a co-ed residence hall in 1973.
Barker House, the first and second floor of Lyon Hall, gets its name from Mrs. Edith Barker, the State of Iowa 4-H Club leader from 1936-1946. She is responsible for incorporating the study of music, literature and art into the state's 4-H program.
Lyon Hall is on the far right. (Circa 1940)
Barker House consists of the first and second floors of Lyon Hall in the BLFF/N Residence Hall Association in Old RCA. The floor is co-ed and dry (no alcohol is allowed).
The true flavor of Barker, however, lies beyond the logistics. We are an extremely diverse and social floor. We actively participate in the following activities: