University Hall, Northwestern University

University Hall is the oldest original building on the

Northwestern University Northwestern University is a private research university in Evanston, Illinois. Founded in 1851, Northwestern is the oldest chartered university in Illinois and is ranked among the most prestigious academic institutions in the world. Charte ...

campus in

Evanston, Illinois Evanston ( ) is a city, suburb of Chicago. Located in Cook County, Illinois, United States, it is situated on the North Shore along Lake Michigan. Evanston is north of Downtown Chicago, bordered by Chicago to the south, Skokie to the west, ...

, and the second building to have been constructed after Old College, which stood on campus until the 1970s. The building has served a wide range of different roles since its construction, and currently houses the university's English department.

History

University Hall was designed in

Victorian Gothic Gothic Revival (also referred to as Victorian Gothic, neo-Gothic, or Gothick) is an architectural movement that began in the late 1740s in England. The movement gained momentum and expanded in the first half of the 19th century, as increasingly ...

style by Gurdon P. Randall, and is composed of Joliet limestone - the same kind used to build the

Chicago Water Tower The Chicago Water Tower is a contributing property and landmark in the Old Chicago Water Tower District in Chicago, Illinois, United States, that is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Built to enclose the tall machinery of a ...

. The construction materials were transported to the Evanston campus by lake boat and rail. The cornerstone of the building was laid in 1868, and the structure was completed in 1869, at a total cost of $125,000. University Hall officially opened on September 8, 1869 and coincided with the inauguration of University President

Erastus Otis Haven Erastus Otis Haven (November 1, 1820 – August 2, 1881) was an American academic administrator, serving as president or chancellor of three universities in succession from 1863-1880. He was a bishop of the Methodist Episcopal Church from 1880 un ...

. Speakers at the opening ceremony included Illinois Governor John M. Palmer, and the new University President Haven, who called the structure, "the new and elegant University Building". The clock in the tower of University Hall was the gift of the Class of 1879; its movement was built by clockmaker Seth Thomas. In 1966, a new electrified clock replaced the old works, which are now located in the

Smithsonian National Museum of American History The National Museum of American History: Kenneth E. Behring Center collects, preserves, and displays the heritage of the United States in the areas of social, political, cultural, scientific, and military history. Among the items on display is t ...

in Washington, D.C. Upon its completion, University Hall took over most university functions from Old College. University Hall originally contained classrooms housing all Northwestern University classes, the main campus library, a chemical lab, a chapel, two society rooms and a fourth-floor natural history museum. University Hall contained Northwestern's primary library until the construction of Lunt Library (now known as Lunt Hall) in the 1890s. Lunt Library was the first dedicated library building built on the campus of Northwestern University. Though University Hall was succeeded by Fayerweather Hall as the university's main building in 1887, throughout its history, University Hall served a variety of functions. Over the years University Hall has been the home of the central administration, the engineering school, a cafeteria, and faculty offices.Northwestern University Archives
/ref> University Hall underwent a $5.2 million renovation and was rededicated in 1993. The building is currently home to Northwestern's English department.

References

External links

Gallery of Images and Documents related to University Hall, from the Northwestern Archives
{{coord, 42.0519, -87.6760, type:landmark_region:US-IL, display=title Gothic Revival architecture in Illinois 1869 establishments in Illinois Northwestern University campus University and college academic buildings in the United States