John Sutton Hall facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
John Sutton Hall
U.S. National Register of Historic Places
Location in Pennsylvania
Location	Indiana, Pennsylvania
Area	142,500 square feet (13,240 m2)
Built	1873
Architect	James W. Drum Haigh Voris & Gregg Co
Architectural style	Italianate
NRHP reference No.	75001643
Added to NRHP	September 17, 1975

John Sutton Hall is a very old and important building at Indiana University of Pennsylvania (IUP). It is often called the "Old Main" building. It was built between 1873 and 1875. This building was the first one ever constructed for the Indiana Normal School. In 1903, it was named after John Sutton. He was the first president of the school's Board of Trustees. Sutton Hall was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1975. This means it is a special historic place.

History of Sutton Hall

Building the First School Home

John Sutton was a businessman from Indiana, Pennsylvania. He bought land to start a "normal school." A normal school was a place where women could train to become teachers. Building the main school building started in 1873.

The Main Building was designed by James W. Drum. He also designed other important buildings in the area. Construction finished in 1875. The total cost, including furniture, was about $141,115.

Life Inside the Early School

In the school's first years, this one building was the entire school! It had classrooms where students learned. There were also dormitories where students lived. It even had a place for sick students, a dining hall, and a gym.

In 1903, the building was officially named John Sutton Hall. Around that time, parts of the building were made bigger. A dining hall named after Thomas Sutton was also added nearby.

Changes Over Time

In 1920, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania took control of the school. The school's name changed a few times. In 1927, it became Indiana (PA) State Teacher's College. Then, in 1959, it was called Indiana State College.

Finally, in 1965, the college became a university. This is when it got its current name, Indiana University of Pennsylvania. As more buildings were built on campus, Sutton Hall became less of a central hub.

Saving a Historic Building

In the 1970s, there were plans to fix up Sutton Hall. However, the Pennsylvania Department of Education said there wasn't enough money. They were also planning a new library. Because of this, a decision was made in 1974 to tear down Sutton Hall.

But many people wanted to save the building! A group called the Committee to Save John Sutton Hall was formed. They paid for a study to see if the building could be saved. The study showed that it could be fixed up. It also said that keeping the building would be good for the university.

On September 19, 1975, Sutton Hall was officially added to the National Register of Historic Places. This happened on September 17. Being on this list meant that money (grants) became available to help fix the building. Just a few weeks later, on October 3, the school's Board of Trustees voted to save Sutton Hall.

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