Knott Hall History & Lore
Dorm Profile
Knott Hall is home to approximately 240 men in 108 rooms. She is part of Mod Quad, located on the far northeast corner of campus, next to the Hesburgh Library. She has a weight room, a kitchen, and laundry room (all located on the first floor). She also offers sinks in all of her rooms (excl. 211, 237, 311, 337, 411, and 437), a billiards table, a ping-pong table, and a foosball table. Knott Hall is airconditioned. Her mascot is the Juggerknott, and her colors are orange and navy blue.
Dorm History
Henry J. Knott, Sr. and his wife Marion Burk Knott, Knott Hall's namesake.
Marion Burk Knott hall, or simply Knott Hall, was constructed in 1988. Henry J. Knott, Sr.—the Baltimore—born, Roman Catholic businessman and philanthropist who funded the construction of Knott Hall—named the residence hall after his wife, Marion Burk Knott. Along with Siegfried Hall, Pasquerilla East Hall, and Pasquerilla West Hall, Knott Hall formed Mod Quad.
Originally a female residence hall, Knott Hall was the home of the Knott Hall Angels until shortly after renovations began on the interior of the main building in 1996. With the main building unusable, many administrative offices were moved to Grace Hall, which, together with Flanner Hall, were the male residence halls nearest to Knott Hall. Residents of Grace Hall moved to the newly constructed residence halls on the southwest side of campus: Keough Hall and O'Neill Hall.
Although these relocations were meant to increase academic office space at the University of Notre Dame, shortages of space persisted. Therefore, Notre Dame decided to convert Flanner Hall to an academic office building in the Autumn of 1997. In order to maintain a gender balance throughout campus, the Knott Hall Angels moved into McGlinn hall, the Siegfried Hall Slammers moved into Welsh Family Hall, and the Flanner Hall Gamecocks moved into both Knott Hall and Siegfried Hall.
With new residents came a new identity for Knott Hall. Knott Hall adopted orange as its official color and the Juggernaut—a massive inexorable, irresistible force that crushes whatever is in its path—as its official mascot. Thenceforth spelled Juggerknott, the new mascot came to symbolize the unmatched intensity of Knott Hall residents.
Led by upperclassman and first male president of Knott Hall, Peter Cesaro, Knott Hall made herself felt throughout the campus in her first year as a male dorm. Knott Hall became known as one of the most intensely spirited residence halls, and quickly came to dominate home football game pep rallies. In 1999, merely two years after its rebirth as a male residence hall, Knott Hall became interhall football champions, all-interhall sports champions, and the most improved hall at the University of Notre Dame.
While residents, resident assistants, and assistant rectors have come and go, two men have remained constants in Knott Hall: Brother Jerome Meyer, C.S.C, and Father Jim Foster, C.S.C. The rector of Knott Hall since its rebirth as a male dorm in the Autumn of 1997, Brother Jerome has now been the rector of Knott Hall for ten years. Commonly referred to as Brojo within Knott Hall, brother is famous both for his commitment to Knott Hall and his delicious chili. Father Jim, usually the celebrant of Knott Hall liturgies, has been our priest in residence since men first moved into Knott Hall in the Autumn of 1997.
The men of Knott Hall constantly strive for academic and athletic excellence, and Knott Hall constantly strives to be the greatest male residence hall at the University of Notre Dame. This year Knott Hall will strive both to improve the life of its residents and to win the coveted title of overall hall of the year.
Marion & Henry J. Knott Foundation
Famous Juggerknotts
Knott Hall has been home to the greatest men at Notre Dame. Notable Juggerknotts include:
- Tommy Zbikowski, professional boxer and defensive back for the Indianapolis Colts
- Emerson Spartz, Internet entrepeneur and founder of Spartz Media—also the creator of OMG-Facts.com and Mugglenet, the #1 Harry Potter site in the world
- Tim Weber, creator of GoodMusicAllDay.com, a popular internet music blog
- Grant Schmidt, Student Body President 2008-2009
- Andrew Bell, former Knott Resident Assistant and Student Body Vice-President