Although male students lived off campus in the early years, it was deemed proper that young women live on campus. This building was built in 1885 as a dormitory and dining hall. It offered the barest essentials to comfort the coeds—the only heat in the building was from fireplaces on the first floor.
The building at that time provided dining facilities for 100, sleeping rooms for 12, a bath, and an office for the chaperone. The Dean of Women was housed there, as was CU's former Department of Home Economics.
For many years, the cottage was listed for demolition due to its small size and anachronistic style. But in 1996–97 it received a $1 million dollar renovation, through funds from the Colorado Historical Fund and the generosity of the family of the late Hazel Gates Woodruff. The cottage now houses the Women's Studies Program.