Gas Meter House

A meter house for the Arkansas Louisiana Gas Company became a part of the campus landscape in 1936 at the height of the building boom. On September 9, the Board approved the contract made between President Womack, representing Henderson, and the Arkansas Louisiana Gas Company. Since the College was 'desirous of securing the service and facilities' of the Gas Company, it granted “a perpetual easement for a right of way“ for pipelines and an adequate meter on a plot of ground 16 feet by 20 feet located on the campus 25 feet from the west wall of Womack Hall, “the South wall of said meter house to be on an even line East and West with the South wall” of the Dormitory.

Beginning at the south boundary of the of the campus on Henderson Street the pipeline right of way crossed “the College grounds due North along the gravel road from Henderson Street to the meter house… and from said meter house due South to the gravel road behind Mooney Hall, and thence along and under said road due West to the College boundary” on Twelfth Street. The Gas Company bore the expense of erecting the meter house and laying the pipes along the north-south and the east-west campus drives as well as laying the pipe from the meter house due north to the central heating plant soon to be constructed. Henderson also agreed “that no building, structure or erection will at any time be permitted to be over or continue to remain closer than three feet to the location of gas pipe or pipes.” The College further granted the Gas Company “at all times right of ingress and egress for the purpose of repair, replacement, maintenance or removal, in whole or in part, of any of its gas line or lines, or appurtenances pertaining thereto” and also “free right of egress and ingress to said meter house” for its proper repair, maintenance, or replacement.

After the renovation of Womack Hall in the 1970's, the meter and pipes were then enclosed in a wall like an open-air theater. About 4 feet high, 8 feet wide, and 18 feet long, the wall had three sides of red brick like that used in resurfacing Womack Hall. On the north side, the wall was completed with an attractive wooden gate painted to blend with the color of the brick.