University Guest House

This small house on the grounds of the chancellor’s residence, also known as the Rock Cottage, was built in the 1930s of stone left from construction of a retaining wall on the property.

It was designed by architecture professor Verner F. Smith to be used by guests at the Outlook and was part of Elizabeth Miller Watkins’ 1939 bequest to KU.

During the housing shortage after World War II, faculty members lived there. In 1952 the university remodeled it as a guest house, furnishing it from estate bequests and museum holdings. It is managed by Student Housing.