The Carl Ben Eielson Memorial Building, originally intended to house a school of aeronautical engineering, complete with a wind tunnel and labs to test atmospheric conditions, was deemed a fitting tribute to Carl Ben Eielson, known as the "Arctic Lindbergh." In the 1930s, aviation was one of Alaska's fastest growing industries, and Fairbanks was at its center due to its desirable location for over-the-pole routes to Asia and Europe.

Today the Eielson Building houses offices for several UAF departments along with a few classroom and lab spaces on the top floor.