plans for a riverside chapel at the university were made as early as 1920, when the university purchased the charles river campus and commissioned a master plan from architect ralph adams cram. originally, the chapel was to be complemented by the alexander graham bell tower, a gothic revival administrative structure named for alexander graham bell. the chapel's completion was stalled by the great depression and second world war, after which ralph adams cram was selected as its architect. the building was dedicated in 1950, heralding the end of a period of collegiate gothic construction on american campuses.