The Refectory

The Refectory, built in 1909, was one of the original campus structures and included a kitchen and dining area for the East Carolina Teachers Training School. It was designed by Hook & Rogers out of Charlotte, NC and H.W. Simpson out of New Bern, NC. On April 1, 1915, a fire caused by a leaky chimney destroyed the upper portion of the building. The roof was unsalvageable, but the exterior brick walls and most of the dining furniture were spared. The cafeteria resumed operations just 11 days later. That summer, a new kitchen was built, and the original kitchen space was converted into additional dining capacity. As the student body grew, so did the building. In 1927, architect George Berryman designed an expansion. A soda shop was added in 1946. Now called the Old Cafeteria Complex, the building has served many purposes for generations of students. (Building Histories, 2025)

Photograph of Dining Hall Reconstruction After Fire

Dining Hall reconstruction after fire. 6 Apr. 1915. Visual Media: Black and White Images. UA55.01.541. East Carolina University Digital Collections. https://digital.lib.ecu.edu/22941. Accessed 3 Jun. 2025.

Photograph of East Carolina Teachers College Master of Arts Graduates Standing in Front of the Old Cafeteria Complex

 ECTC MA graduates in academic regalia. 1949. Visual Media: Black and White Images. UA55.01.104. East Carolina University Digital Collections. https://digital.lib.ecu.edu/10230. Accessed 3 Jun. 2025.