Will Mayfield College was a Baptist school located in

Marble Hill, Missouri Marble Hill is a fourth-class city in central Bollinger County in Southeast Missouri, United States. Located at the intersection of State Highways 34 and 51, it is the largest city in Bollinger and serves as the county seat. The population was 1, ...

. From 1878 to 1934, the college offered four years of preparatory school and two years of

junior college A junior college (sometimes referred to colloquially as a juco, JuCo or JC) is a post-secondary educational institution offering vocational training designed to prepare students for either skilled trades and technical occupations and workers in su ...

work. Will Mayfield was founded by William Henderson Mayfield and Dr. H. J. Smith as the Mayfield-Smith Academy in Smithville (now Sedgewickville) in

Bollinger County Bollinger County is a county located in the southeastern part of the U.S. state of Missouri. As of the 2020 census, the county's population was 10,567. The county seat is Marble Hill. The county was officially organized in 1851. Bollinger Co ...

. It was governed by the St. Francois Baptist Association. In 1880, the college was moved to the

county seat A county seat is an administrative center, seat of government, or capital city of a county or civil parish. The term is in use in Canada, China, Hungary, Romania, Taiwan, and the United States. The equivalent term shire town is used in the US st ...

at Marble Hill; the first building was completed in 1885. Historically known as the Administration Building, it was also used for classrooms, chapel and auditorium space. Significant additions designed by L. Baylor Pendleton were constructed in 1909 and 1924–25. The original section of this brick building is typical of two-story, four room educational buildings. The name of the school was changed in 1903 to Will Mayfield College in honor of William Henderson Mayfield's son, Will, who was a graduate of Mayfield-Smith Academy and who had died the previous year at the age of 20. The Arts and Science Building is a two-story brick building with raised basement has

Classical Revival Neoclassical architecture is an architectural style produced by the Neoclassical movement that began in the mid-18th century in Italy and France. It became one of the most prominent architectural styles in the Western world. The prevailing style ...

details and was constructed in 1924-1927 from plans by L. Baylor Pendleton. Will Mayfield College permanently ceased operations in 1934 due to financial reasons. The Bollinger County Museum of Natural History is now operating on the grounds of the college. The Mayfield Cultural Center is housed in the original Administration Building and the attached chapel, with stage and balcony. The building is used as a visual and performing arts space and is also available for use as a banquet facility for weddings and special occasions. Both the museum and cultural center are projects of the Will Mayfield Heritage Foundation, a 501(c)3 non profit organization. The Arts and Science Building 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 2005. The remainder of the campus was added in 2012.

References

External links

Pictures of Will Mayfield College

St. Francois Baptist Association

Bollinger County Museum of Natural History
University and college buildings on the National Register of Historic Places in Missouri Defunct private universities and colleges in Missouri Educational institutions established in 1878 Educational institutions disestablished in 1934 Education in Bollinger County, Missouri 1878 establishments in Missouri 1934 disestablishments in Missouri Neoclassical architecture in Missouri Buildings and structures completed in 1927 National Register of Historic Places in Bollinger County, Missouri {{Missouri-university-stub