Designed by Robert O'Connor, Class of 1916, this student dormitory is located in the “South Campus Neighborhood,” which also includes Funston, Jackson, Jones, Smith, Summit East, Summit North, Summit South, and Trinity Hall.

Trinity President George Keith Funston laid the cornerstone for the $380,000 building during commencement in spring 1948. Elton Hall was completed later in 1948, with a capacity of 106 student residents, and formally dedicated on February 12, 1949, the same day as the newly constructed Memorial Field House. Elton Hall is named in honor of former Chairman of the Board of Trustees, John Prince Elton, Class of 1888.

Elton Hall, August 2022. Photo credit: Jeff Liszka

The dormitory was completely refurbished in the summer of 1985, with new heating, electrical, and lighting systems, as well as renovations to bathrooms, flooring, carpeting, and furniture. A portion of the roof was enclosed and reinforced to create a terrace for student use.

In 1991, Elton Hall joined neighboring Jones Hall as one of two all first-year dormitories. Within Elton at that time, “freshmen” participated in an Office of Residential Life Program called The Freshman Experience. Special programming was set up for first-years, including regular meetings among residents and Residential Advisors, as well as a University 101 course to acclimate first-years to the college experience, and a judicial dormitory council to address issues within the dorm.

In 2002, Elton, along with Jones Hall, became one of the first dorms on campus to utilize a card-swipe system by which access to the doors is obtained. This method replaced the older code system, where students (or anyone) could enter a code for access. Although the card-swipe system was theoretically put in place to restrict access to residents only (and it did work that way for Jones Hall residents), all students on campus were still able to swipe their cards to get access to the study facilities on the first floor of Elton. Moreover, as an opinion writer in the Trinity Tripod commented in 2002, the card-swipe system did not eliminate the possibility that non-residents could access the dorms by following someone with swipe access.

The Bantam Network: Neighborhoods and Residential Communities

Trinity Tripod, 04/02/2002.

Trinity Tripod, 04/16/1991.

Trinity College Reporter (Fall 1985), pp. 4-6.

Trinity College Alumni Magazine (May 1964), p. 4.

The Trinity Ivy (1949), pp. 8-10.

Trinity College Bulletin (March 1949), p. 3.

Trinity College Bulletin (July 1948), p. 3.

Trinity College Alumni Magazine (May 1948), p. 3.