List of Old Main buildings

Former Barat College Old Main building, Lake Forest, Illinois.

Old Main is a term often applied to the original building present on college or university campuses in the United States. The building serves today as home to administrative offices, such as the president or provost, but in its early inception may have served multiple functions, including classrooms and residences. Although many university campuses have outgrown the initial capacity of "old mains" and their geography has made them less central to university life than they once were, the building is commonly depicted in university or college marketing material to promote the longevity and tradition of the institution. Many old main buildings are surmounted by large towers, cupolas, or spires, occasionally housing bells or carillons. Some examples of "old mains" (sorted by U.S. state):

Arizona

Entrance of "Old Main" on the campus of Arizona State University in Tempe, Arizona.
  • Old Main (Arizona State University), the first building on the campus of Arizona State University in Tempe, Arizona
  • Old Main, University of Arizona, the first building on the campus of the University of Arizona in Tucson, Arizona

Arkansas

  • Old Main (University of Arkansas), the first building on the campus of the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville, Arkansas

Colorado

District of Columbia

Georgia

  • Old Main (Agnes Scott College), at Agnes Scott College in Decatur, Georgia

Illinois

Old Main at Augustana College in Rock Island

Indiana

Iowa

Maryland

Michigan

  • Old Main at Alma College, built in 1886, it was the main administration and academic building for Alma College students until it was destroyed by fire on March 10, 1969.[2]
  • Old Main at Central Michigan University, built in 1893, it served as the original administration building of CMU before being destroyed by fire in 1925.
  • Old Main, Suomi College, the first building on the campus of Suomi College (now Finlandia University) in Hancock, Michigan. The building is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
  • Old Main (Wayne State University), a historical building on the campus of Wayne State University, which originally housed the Detroit Central High School, in Michigan. The building is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Minnesota

Mississippi

Nebraska

New York

  • Old Main (SUNY New Paltz), the first building on the campus of the State University of New York at New Paltz.
  • Old Main (Vassar College), a National Historic Landmark building on the campus of Vassar College in Poughkeepsie, New York
  • Old Main Mental Asylum, in Utica, New York, now closed

North Carolina

North Dakota

Ohio

Old Main at Miami University, Oxford, Ohio

Pennsylvania

South Dakota

Texas

Utah

Washington

  • Old Main (Western Washington University), a building on the campus of Western Washington University in Bellingham.
  • Old Main (Pacific Lutheran University), a building on the campus of Pacific Lutheran University in Tacoma, currently serving as a residence hall and known more commonly as Harstad Hall.

West Virginia

  • Old Main (Alderson-Broaddus College) (1909), burned in 1978; replaced by "New Main Hall"
  • Old Main (Nicholas County High School), listed on the NRHP in West Virginia
  • Old Main (Bethany College), a National Historic Landmark building on the Bethany College campus in West Virginia.
  • Old Main (Marshall University) the oldest building still standing on the Marshall University campus in Huntington, West Virginia.

Wisconsin

Wyoming

See also

  • Main Hall (disambiguation), also used similarly for main buildings of universities
  • Administration Building (disambiguation), also used similarly
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References

  1. ^ "Old Main".
  2. ^ Averill, Reanna; Berra, Michael; Carlton, Akiela; Corinth, Eryn; Eshlemann, Bridget; Flemming, Hannah; Laroche, Devyn; O'Malley, Sean; Schutte, BJ Schutte; Sieffert, Samuel (May 2018). Landau, Kristen (ed.). "Alma College Archaeological Project: Old Main, Season 3" (PDF). Retrieved December 19, 2018.
  3. ^ "building-history". www.findlay.edu. Retrieved 24 May 2019.