Bauman Auditorium is named for William (1921-1989) and Mary Bauman (1930-2007). William was a member of the George Fox Board of Trustees for 20 years, beginning in 1969. He also donated his personal collections and private libraries to George Fox in 1971.
The Baumans owned a lumber company in Lebanon, OR and, after they sold it in 1973, donated funds to George Fox for building projects. In 1974, the Baumans donated $200,000 for the construction of the Bauman Auditorium, which opened in 1982 as the second phase of the Milo C. Ross Center project.
The Auditorium seats about 1,200 people and was constructed to meet the growing numbers of students arriving at Fox.
Interestingly, the auditorium possesses a subtle theme. Engraved on the benches, tables, and planters in and around the building are Central American glyphs from Mayan and Pre-Incan cultures. Some of these symbols represent the day on which the building was dedicated in Mayan, while others are copied from significant Central American structures and artifacts. Bauman was designed to include these themes in order to memorialize the efforts of George Fox alumni and Friends in South and Central American missions.
Today, Bauman Auditorium holds weekly chapels, as well as other productions such as band, choir and orchestra concerts. In the past it has held special concerts and hosted the annual Oregon Symphony Concert.