Built in 1946, Bruce Hall is the oldest residence hall on UNT’s

campus.With such a long history, this traditionally designed

building has a well-known resident who hasn't left since the

early 1950’s. Home of “The Roach”, Bruce Hall, like much of

UNT, is set to have renovations done around the building.

As the oldest residence hall on UNT’s campus, this dormitory

comes with much history. As with many historical sites,

many legends and folklore are also centered around Bruce.                                        UNT students walking out of Bruce Hall

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               Photo credit: Caitlin Martinez

    Uniquely called “Wanda” by Bruce residents and faculty alike, the story goes that Wanda was raised in an extremely strict Catholic family before she came to UNT.

     After realizing she had was pregnant, under much pressure to succeed as well as fearing her parents’ reaction, she went up to the attic of Bruce where she proceeded to perform a self-abortion procedure using a coat hanger, which ultimately led to her death.

     “There’s still a chair there from where it all happened,” said Bruce president, Bri Tamisi, as she recalled the story of Wanda.

     For the most part resident’s claim to see Wanda hovering in the stairwells or staring as they pass by in the halls.

     “She likes to knock on doors,” said Aubrey Salisburry, one of Bruce’s front desk staff.

    Megan Rhoby Dale, who has been an RA at Bruce for two semesters, agreed with Salisburry, mentioning how Wanda likes to make noise throughout Bruce. Dale said that she believes Wanda to be a friendly spirit.

     “She just likes people to know she’s here,” Tamisi said.

    Sooner or later those at Bruce Hall learn and pass on the story of Wanda, thriving on being associated with such a historical building.

     Previously stated, Bruce was one of the first buildings at UNT. Days before it was set to open to students, the building was supposedly infested with cockroaches, which would lead to the legend of the Roach King.

Salisburry and Tamisi recounted one of the more popular versions of the story.

“The hall director went to the basement and pleaded to the Roach King to get rid of the roaches. So, they made a deal,” Salisburry said.

The story continues with the Roach King agreeing on the condition that no roaches would be harmed in the building, he would make them disappear.

“That’s why our mascot is the Roach,” Rhoby Dale said.

Residents of Bruce are encouraged to “honor the Roach” during their time at Bruce, Salisburry explained.

Evidently, students have made Roach King “offerings” in the past, adorned with trash, set up in their wings.

The Roach King is said to have a mural built in the basement of the dormitory, where residents are not allowed access.

But the basement of Bruce is also home to another spirit.

“Boiler Room Bill” lived as a janitor during the 1960s. Rhoby Dale believes he was lynched by a group of white students because he was a black man. They committed this act in the boiler room of Bruce.

“There’s an offering set up in the boiler room, behind a sliding door,” said Tamisi, adding that the offering was extremely creepy.

Only staff have access to the boiler room and even then, many feel uneasy about going down to that part of the building.

The records of Bruce blends historical events and culture with supernatural tales that are created then passed down over time. While not much is known about who these spirits were during their life, many staff and residents continue to acknowledge their presence.

The staff at Bruce claim Wanda has no intent to harm students and Boiler Room Bill’s story is simply told from one person to the other since residents have no access to where his death took place.

The Roach King spearheads a sense of loyalty to Bruce residents, giving students and faculty something to promote and associate with as a student living in a dormitory. Because of such a unique story on the mascot, students may develop a sense of pride for their hall.

Not many residents have stories of Wanda, students throughout UNT have visited Bruce because of its popular cafeteria.

Located on the corner of Chestnut St. and Avenue C, visitors can take notice of the mural made for Wanda at the end of the entry hall of Bruce, near the pool tables. Bruce also has unique light fixtures over their pool tables, the word’s “Wanda’s Pool Hall” engraved in one.

Residents at this dormitory take much pride in their legendary ghostly residents and the overall environment is equal to that of any other residence hall, popular the music community of UNT.

From time to time students and staff may hear random knocking, but typically have no fear as long as they are familiar with the story of Wanda.

Rhoby Dale says she feels most connected to Wanda even though she may not know the most about the legend. When speaking about Wanda, the staff at Bruce show no fear or unease about the ghostly resident.

Above all, Rhoby Dale believes Wanda means no harm to students or staff, she just has one intention and that is to make her presence known.

“She just doesn’t want to be forgotten,” Rhoby Dale said.

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                                                                                                                                                                                       Photo of Original structure of Bruce Hall from 1954.

                                                                                                                                                                                                 Photo Credit: UNT University Libraries