Roberts Hall at Roberts Wesleyan College - Erected in 1893, it is the oldest building on campus. It has served as administration offices for the past 30 years, at one time as a dormitory, once housed a dining room, kitchen and classrooms. It has been flooded, and has caught fire. The structure has not moved over a quarter-inch in 110 years, a testimony to the original architects and builders.

On Friday, May 30, the Chili Historic Preservation Board presented a special award of recognition to Roberts Wesleyan College for its renovation of Roberts Hall. At a reception which marked the occasion, Peter Widener, the chairman of the board and Chili historian, cited the college for the "meticulous care given to the structure in its restoration." Roberts Hall, has been in continual use since 1893 and was in need of major renovation or demolition. President of the college, Dr. John Martin, related to the Historic Preservation Board that it would have cost less to tear the building down and erect a new one. "But," he said, "the emotional substance of the building and its historic significance were too powerful to ignore."

The members of the Historic Preservation Board joined Steve Hendershot, supervisor of Chili and Councilwoman Mary Speer for a tour of the four story, red brick building. They viewed a slide presentation of the total gutting of the hall, the repositioned hallways and rooms, and the uncovering of old Paladian-style, half-moon windows. Charles Canon, the archivist of Roberts Wesleyan, Dr. Paul Livermore and Brian Babcock, professors at Northeastern Seminary which is housed in the building, and Patty Radel, Dr. Martin's administrative assistant, toured with the group and provided many details of the college history.

Peter Widener stated, "As historian, I recognized Roberts Hall as a real gem. The award is very much deserved for the extent of renovation, which was above and beyond the usual."