Old Main is a building on the campus of

Augsburg University Augsburg University is a private university in Minneapolis, Minnesota. It is affiliated with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. It was founded in 1869 as a Norwegian-American Lutheran seminary known as Augsburg Seminarium. Today, the u ...

Minneapolis, Minnesota Minneapolis () is the largest city in Minnesota, United States, and the county seat of Hennepin County. The city is abundant in water, with thirteen lakes, wetlands, the Mississippi River, creeks and waterfalls. Minneapolis has its origins ...

, in the Cedar-Riverside neighborhood. It was built in 1901 at a cost of $35,000, designed by the

St. Paul Paul; grc, Παῦλος, translit=Paulos; cop, ⲡⲁⲩⲗⲟⲥ; hbo, פאולוס השליח (previously called Saul of Tarsus;; ar, بولس الطرسوسي; grc, Σαῦλος Ταρσεύς, Saũlos Tarseús; tr, Tarsuslu Pavlus; ...

firm of Omeyer and Thori and built by Charles F. Haglin, who built other structures such as the

Lumber Exchange Building The Lumber Exchange Building was the first skyscraper built in Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States, dating to 1885. It was designed in the Richardsonian Romanesque style by Franklin B. Long and Frederick Kees and was billed as one of the fir ...

and the

Peavey–Haglin Experimental Concrete Grain Elevator The Peavey–Haglin Experimental Concrete Grain Elevator is the world's first known cylindrical concrete grain elevator. It was built from 1899 to 1900 in St. Louis Park, Minnesota, United States, as an experiment to prove the design was viable. ...

. The building, originally known as "New Main", was listed on the

National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artistic v ...

in 1983. The building is large and symmetrical, evoking a classical architectural style. When it opened, it contained a chapel, gymnasium, classrooms, library and museum. It became the center of campus activity and a point of pride for the college. It has not been altered significantly from its original design. It retains its architectural integrity, as well as its historical and educational significance. A number of renovations in 1980 aimed to improve energy efficiency while preserving architectural details from the past.

References

{{National Register of Historic Places in Minnesota National Register of Historic Places in Minneapolis School buildings completed in 1901 University and college academic buildings in the United States University and college buildings on the National Register of Historic Places in Minnesota Omeyer & Thori buildings 1901 establishments in Minnesota