Abraham O. Smoot Administration Building

Abraham O’ Smoot Building: Where We Began (1961)

For decades, Brigham Young University’s administrative offices were housed in the Maeser Memorial Building. However, during the rapid expansion of the university in the Wilkinson administration, these facilities became inadequate. Construction began in October 1959 on a new four-story building (including one underground level), with Garff, Ryberg and Garff Construction Company as contractor. Architect Henry P. Fetzer proposed an innovative “X”-shaped floorplan that allowed for efficient movement and minimized disruption between departments. The building was completed on July 16, 1961, shortly before the new library, and was named in 1962 in honor of Abraham O. Smoot, a key figure in the university's survival and development.

Abraham O. Smoot served as president of the Board of Trustees of Brigham Young Academy for 20 years. During the academy’s early financial struggles, faculty were often unpaid or received compensation in produce and trade goods. Smoot used his personal wealth to support the school, ultimately dying bankrupt after years of sacrifice. His dedication earned him the title “Foster Father of the Academy,” and he remained committed to its success throughout his life, once declaring, “I love that school… It must live.”

Today, the Abraham O. Smoot Administration Building houses BYU’s central administrative services, including admissions, registration, scholarships, and employment offices. From its south side, a 7½-foot, 1,300-pound bronze statue of Brigham Young, cast from a plaster original by his grandson Mahonri Young, overlooks the quad, honoring the university’s namesake and the legacy of those who laid its foundation.