Old Main, Suomi College is an educational building located on Quincy Street on the

Finlandia University Finlandia University is a private Lutheran university in Hancock, Michigan. It is the only private university in the Upper Peninsula. Founded in 1896 as The Suomi College and Theological Seminary, it is affiliated with the Evangelical Lutheran Ch ...

campus in

Hancock, Michigan Hancock is a city in Houghton County in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is across the Keweenaw Waterway from the city of Houghton on the Keweenaw Peninsula. The population was 4,634 at the 2010 census. The Weather Channel has consistently rank ...

. It is also known as the Suomi College Building. It was designated a Michigan State Historic Site in 1959 and 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 ...

in 1972.

History

In the late 1800s, large numbers of Finns settled in Hancock, drawn by the jobs in mining and lumber. One of those immigrants was J. K. Nikander, a pastor of the

Finnish Evangelical Lutheran Church of America The Finnish Evangelical Lutheran Church of America (commonly known as the Suomi Synod, ) was a Lutheran church body which existed in the United States from 1890 until 1962. History The Finnish Evangelical Lutheran Church of America (FELC) was ...

(commonly known as the Suomi Synod). Nikander wanted to ensure that Finnish Lutheran ministers would be available in America, staving off the loss of Finnish identity in the population. In 1896, Nikander founded a new institution, Suomi College. Suomi's mission was to train Lutheran ministers and to teach English. The first building of Suomi College was Old Main; it was constructed using plans drawn by architect Charles Archibald Pearce. The firm of Bajari & Ulseth was contracted to perform the carpentry work, and William Scott for the stonework.Charles Archibald Pearce
Suomi College (Finlandia University), Old Main, from Copper Country Architects, retrieved 9/13/09 The total cost of the building was $40,000. The cornerstone of the building was laid on May 30, 1898 and the building was dedicated on January 21, 1900. Suomi quickly outgrew Old Main, and an additional frame building housing a gym, meeting hall and music center was constructed in 1901. In the 1920s, Suomi's mission shifted and it became primarily a liberal arts college. In 1958, the seminary separated from the rest of the college. In 2000, Suomi changed its name to Finlandia University.

Description

Old Main is a three-story Richardsonian Romanesque building constructed from rough

Jacobsville sandstone Jacobsville Sandstone is a red sandstone formation, marked with light-colored streaks and spots, primarily found in northern Upper Michigan, portions of Ontario, and under much of Lake Superior. Desired for its durability and aesthetics, the san ...

, which was quarried at the Portage Entry of the Keweenaw waterway. It has a gabled roof with wall dormers. The main entrance is surmounted by an arch, with a large bay window and tower above. Heavy buttresses divide the windows and support the tower. The rear is relatively devoid of ornamentation. The building originally contained everything required for the young college: a dormitory, kitchen, and laundry, as well as classrooms, offices, a library, chapel and lounge. As Suomi changed, Old Main has been used for multiple purposes; however, little alteration of the exterior was required. As of 2009, the building houses administrative offices such as Financial Aid, Admissions, and the Office of Student Accounts.Campus Buildings
from Finlandia University, retrieved 9/13/09

References

{{National Register of Historic Places Buildings and structures in Houghton County, Michigan University and college buildings on the National Register of Historic Places in Michigan Michigan State Historic Sites in Houghton County Sandstone buildings in the United States School buildings completed in 1900 Richardsonian Romanesque architecture in Michigan Finlandia University National Register of Historic Places in Houghton County, Michigan University and college administration buildings in the United States University and college buildings completed in 1900 Hancock, Michigan 1900 establishments in Michigan