Old Main (Iowa Wesleyan University)

Old Main
Old Main (Iowa Wesleyan University) is located in Iowa
Old Main (Iowa Wesleyan University)
Old Main (Iowa Wesleyan University) is located in the United States
Old Main (Iowa Wesleyan University)
LocationIowa Wesleyan University campus
Mount Pleasant, Iowa
Coordinates40°58′26.4″N 91°33′11.6″W / 40.974000°N 91.553222°W / 40.974000; -91.553222
Built1854
Built byBenjamin Franklin Pearson
NRHP reference No.73000727[1]
Added to NRHPMarch 26, 1973

Old Main is a historic building located on the Iowa Wesleyan University campus in Mount Pleasant, Iowa, United States. Built in 1854, when James Harlan was the college's president, it is the second building constructed on the campus after Pioneer Hall.[2] It is believed that Old Main was the first genuine collegiate building built in Iowa.[3] The bricks for the building were manufactured locally by Benjamin Franklin Pearson of Keosauqua, Iowa, who also was responsible for some of the building's construction.[4] The three-story building has modified classical features. It was designed to have classrooms on the first two floors and the library, natural history museum and chapel on the third floor. The building is capped with a hip roof with bracketed eaves, and a wooden cupola with a low dome painted gold.

The International P.E.O. Sisterhood was founded in the building.[3] It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1973.[1]

References

  1. ^ a b "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. March 13, 2009.
  2. ^ "History". Iowa Wesleyan University. Retrieved 2012-05-31.
  3. ^ a b "Old Main". Council of Independent Colleges. Retrieved 2012-05-31.
  4. ^ Dr. Louis A. Haselmayer. "Old Main". National Park Service. Retrieved 2017-02-20. with photos


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