[4] In 1901, Archbishop Alexander Christie purchased the campus and building in a trade of two properties the church owned plus $1 in an effort to start a Catholic affiliated school.

[9] The task to decorate the building was promoted by Holy Cross Brother Tobias O'Brien, C.S.C., in which his stated goal was to present West Hall as looking "more attractive and picturesque.

[11] Seven months prior, on February 18, 1977, a ceremony was held at the entrance of West Hall to reveal the commemorative plaque for the building's designation.

In 1975, a fresh layer of mortar was applied between many of the bricks in the building to guard West Hall from deleterious weather effects.

[3][14] However, West Hall's recent designation on the National Register of Historic Places called for a challenging renovation process.

[3] Other work included making it accessible to the handicapped, replacing windows, restoring the hardwood floors, and re-creating the front entrance.

[23] After renovations were completed in 1993, the hall housed the administrative offices of the university, including student services, and some classrooms.

[3] On May 1, 2001, the United States Postal Service dedicated a commemorative postcard in honor of the university's 100 anniversary that featured Waldschmidt Hall.

[24] Part of the Postal Services Historic Preservation series, the computer generated image of the building was created by John Pirman.

[29] The red brick exterior used for Waldschmidt Hall also marks a hint of Richardsonian Romanesque inspiration, a style that White could be associated with in the Pacific Northwest, for buildings such as the Hotel Vintage Plaza in Portland.