Academic Hall facts for kids
Academic Hall was the very first main building of the University of Missouri. It was officially opened in 1843. Sadly, a big fire destroyed it in 1892. Today, Academic Hall's six tall stone columns, now known as The Columns, still stand on Francis Quadrangle. They are the most famous symbol of the University of Missouri.
Building History
Academic Hall was built between 1840 and 1843. The plans were drawn by Stephen Hills, who also designed Missouri's first State Capitol building.
The building opened in 1843. It had a main section with a dome and three floors. Two extra sections were added in 1885. Academic Hall was used for both classes and the university's offices. The bricks for the building were made right on campus. The large limestone for the Columns came from a nearby valley and was brought to the building by carts pulled by oxen.
During the Civil War
The American Civil War began in 1861. The University of Missouri played a part in it starting in 1862. Missouri was a "border state," meaning it was between the North and the South. Columbia, where the university is, had many people who supported the South. Because of this, the United States government kept a close eye on the university area.
During the war, different groups of Union soldiers stayed in Columbia. They used university buildings, including Academic Hall, as their living quarters. Union troops even held Confederate prisoners in the main library on the third floor of Academic Hall. Classes at the university stopped for 10 months because soldiers were using the buildings and many staff members left to fight. While Union troops were using the library, 467 books were taken and used to start fires. The soldiers also caused other damage around campus.
After the war, the university leaders, with help from Congressman James S. Rollins, sued the U.S. government for the damage. The government settled the case in 1915. The money from this settlement was used to build the Memorial Gateway, which is still on campus today.
The Great Fire of 1892
On Saturday evening, January 9, 1892, Academic Hall caught fire. Some people say the fire started because of the first electric light bulb west of the Mississippi River!
A group called the Athenaeum Society was getting ready for a show in the chapel of Academic Hall. As people started to arrive, a small fire appeared near the main light fixture. A hole was quickly cut in the floor above, and water was sprayed from the building's water system. However, the water ran out very fast and didn't stop the fire. By midnight, the fire had completely destroyed the building. All that was left were the six stone columns. The fire even spread to the president's house nearby, but it was put out without much damage.
Most of the books in the main library were lost, except for those that people had checked out. Some books from the law library were saved. The wall of the museum was broken down, and exhibits were pulled out into the snow. This included a famous elephant exhibit.
After the fire, some people wanted to move the university to a different city called Sedalia. But the people of Columbia worked hard to keep the university in their town. The Columns, which were the only part of Academic Hall left standing, became a symbol of the campus. They now stand in the middle of Francis Quadrangle, the oldest part of the university.
In the months after the fire, many people thought the Columns were ugly. They blocked the view of the new buildings being built. Some even worried they might fall down and be dangerous. In August 1893, the university leaders decided the Columns should be torn down "as soon as convenient." A local newspaper reported that a man named Gideon F. Rothwell had ordered two teams of mules to pull down the Columns.
But a leading citizen named Jerry S. Dorsey led a protest against removing them. He said, "the Columns could not be pulled down by a herd of elephants!" Rothwell announced he would dynamite them if he had to. Dorsey then got a special court order that stopped the Columns from being destroyed. Soon after, an architect said that the Columns were strong and safe. Because of the protests from Columbia citizens and the news that the Columns were safe, Rothwell and the other leaders changed their minds in December 1893. The Columns stayed, and they are still there today!
