U. of Kansas Renovates a Favorite Chapel

The 1946 Danforth Chapel at the University of Kansas is getting a $900,000 overhaul that will bring new restrooms, a new air-conditioning system, and a room in which brides can prepare for their weddings. The chapel’s stained glass will also be repaired.

The chapel, which seats 80 to 90, was built after William H. Danforth, the chairman of the Ralston Purina Company, wrote to the university offering a $5,000 donation from the Danforth Foundation. The chapel was designed by the university’s first architecture graduate, Edward W. Tanner, and was constructed by German prisoners from a local prisoner-of-war camp. Open daily during the semester, the chapel can be reserved by campus groups for events, or used for weddings, baptisms, or memorial services. According to the Lawrence Journal-World, it has always been especially popular for weddings.

Danforth Chapels exist on several other campuses. Florida Southern College’s was designed by Frank Lloyd Wright.