The
first permanent building on the North Dakota Agricultural College (NDAC) campus
was College Hall, also called the Administration Building, but more commonly
known as Old Main. In February 1891, the North Dakota State Legislature appropriated
$25,000 to erect the structure. The cornerstone was laid in 1891 and tradition
has it that at the dedication no flag was available, so a student made a makeshift
pennant with a pair of overalls (Bison 1950, pp.15-16).
Construction of the lower levels were completed by the end of 1891 and on January
3, 1892, the institution opened its regular work in its permanent home, and
enrolled 123 students for the term (First Biennial Report
of the Board of Directors, 1891-1892, p. 6). An additional $3,000
was appropriated in the next legislative session to complete the building and
by the summer of 1893, it was considered completed.
The lower floor of the building was utilized by the chemical department, as well as containing recitation and work rooms of the biological department, and storage and toilet rooms. This was the realm of Professor Edwin F. Ladd (chemistry) and his chemical experiments.
The main floor contained the general offices of the college and the experiment station, library and reading room, fireproof vaults, and laboratories and offices of the botanical and veterinary departments. The entire first and second floors were finished in quartered oak.
The second floor contained a large auditorium capable of seating 200 people, and the recitation, apparatus and laboratory rooms of the mathematical and physical departments. Professor Henry Luke Bolley's (botany and zoology) laboratory was on this floor, as well as the offices of Clare B. Waldron (horticulture), Theries D. Hinebauch (veterinary science), and Henry W. McArdle (horticulture and mathematics). The auditorium initially served as the chapel. The programs consisted of scripture reading, prayer, the singing of hymns, and short talks by the president or other members of the faculty. Since chapel could not accommodate the students, so daily assembly was abandoned in November 1902.
The third floor was unfinished, but it was put to use as a gymnasium; with boxing, wrestling, and "tug-of-war" as popular forms of exercise, where students and faculty met in many friendly contests and even to this day, many 'old-timers' delight in reciting the thrilling experiences of the 'matches' between Hinebach and Bolley or the 'matches' between Whalen and Gibson (McArdle, H. W., History of the North Dakota Agricultural College, Commencement Program, NDAC, 1911, p. 22).
As the building became occupied, the tower room, which was the President's office, was used every Friday for faculty meetings. Today the tower room still serves as the president's office. The library was also located in the president's outer office and the president's secretary served as the librarian. Originally the clock tower was without a clock. The building's three-face clock, located on its southeast tower, was given to the University by the Class of 1916 at its June 12 commencement exercise. The clock had a 30-pound pulley mechanism, and needed to be hand wound at least once a week. In December 1954, the clock was converted with the rest of the campus clocks to the Simplex electric time system (The Spectrum, December 1972, p. 2)
Today, Old Main still houses the President's office in the tower room, as well as the Office of the VP for Academic Affairs, the VP for Business and Finances, the VP for Student Affairs, the Graduate School and numerous other administrative offices. If you get the chance to lift the ceiling tiles in one section of the Graduate School, the facade of the front of the old Little Country Theatre is still there, probably as it was on the day of its last performance.
Architectural Information
"Richardson Romanesque; 2 1/2 stories with raised basement; buff brick with base and trim of Duluth brownstone; clock tower/turrett at the southeast corner; recessed triple-arched main entrance arcade facing south. Hancock Brothers, architects." (National Register of Historic Places Inventroy - Nomination Form, Summer 1982, p.3)
Old Main circa late 1950s
Old Main circa 1930s
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univarchives@www.lib.ndsu.nodak.edu
University Archives, 701-231-8914 Published by the University Archives, NDSU Last Updated: 8/27/04 |