Tualatin Academy facts for kids

Tualatin Academy was a secondary school in the U.S. state of Oregon. This school later grew into Pacific University. The name Tualatin Academy also refers to the historic building where the school was located. This building, built in 1850, is also known as Old College Hall. Today, it is the Pacific University Museum. It is one of the oldest college buildings in the western United States.

The Academy's Beginnings

How Tualatin Academy Started

In 1841, a minister named Harvey L. Clark began a small school. It was located north of what is now Hillsboro, Oregon. The school soon moved to Forest Grove. In 1847, Clark was joined by Tabitha Moffatt Brown. She is known as the "Mother of Oregon."

Together, they ran a school for children of settlers. Ms. Brown also opened a school for children who had lost their parents in 1848. Eliza Spalding, the wife of Reverend Henry H. Spalding, taught at the school during its first year.

Becoming an Official School

In 1848, different religious groups decided to create a new school. They chose Clark and Brown's school as the place to start. The Oregon Territorial Legislature officially approved Tualatin Academy on September 29, 1849. This meant the school was now a formal institution.

Several important people helped start the school. These included Harvey L. Clark, P. H. Hatch, George H. Atkinson, James M. Moore, and Osborne Russell.

Academy and University

In 1854, the school added college-level classes. At this time, Pacific University was created as a separate school. Tualatin Academy continued to operate alongside the university. However, it closed in 1914. Many private high schools closed around this time. This was because public schools were becoming more common.

The Historic Academy Building

Tualatin Academy
U.S. National Register of Historic Places
The building in 2009
Location in Forest Grove OR
Location	Pacific University campus 2043 College Way Forest Grove, Oregon
Area	0.09 acres (360 m2)
Built	1850 (construction); 1894, 1964, 2003 (relocation)
Architectural style	Colonial Revival/Georgian Revival
NRHP reference No.	74001722
Added to NRHP	February 12, 1974

Old College Hall's Construction

The Tualatin Academy building is now called Old College Hall. It is a two-story building made of wood. The community built it in July 1850. They used a "barn raising" style, where many people helped at once. This new building replaced a small log cabin that the school used before.

Eighteen years later, another building was added. It looked just like Old College Hall and was called Academy Hall. Sadly, Academy Hall burned down in 1910.

Changes Over Time

Old College Hall later became the Science Hall for the university. Students called it the "Chem Shack" from 1900 to 1950. In 1949, the science department moved out. The building was then renamed Old College Hall. That same year, two rooms upstairs became the Pacific University Museum.

The building in 1934

The building has a special bell tower on its roof. This tower is shaped like an octagon. The building's style is called Colonial Revival. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1974. This means it is a very important historic site.

The downstairs part of the building has the Price Memorial Chapel. It also has space for meetings. This building is the oldest college building in Oregon. In 2017, it was still used as a museum and chapel.

Pacific University Museum

Exploring the University's Past

The second floor of Old College Hall holds the Pacific University Museum. This museum shows the history of Pacific University. You can see items from the school's founder, Tabitha Moffatt Brown. There are also things from the first school president, Sidney Harper Marsh.

The museum also displays items from former students and friends of the university. It opened in 1949. This was part of the school's 100-year celebration. You can visit the museum by making an appointment with the Office of the President.