Wesleyan Hall facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Wesleyan Hall
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| Location | Morrison Ave., Florence, Alabama |
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| Built | 1855 |
| Architect | Morrison, Zebulon Pike |
| Architectural style | Gothic Revival, Castellated sub-style |
| NRHP reference No. | 74000417 |
| Added to NRHP | June 20, 1974 |
Wesleyan Hall was built in 1856. It is one of the oldest buildings on the University of North Alabama campus. You can find it in Florence, Alabama.
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History of Wesleyan Hall
Wesleyan Hall is famous for its unique towers. It is a well-known building in North Alabama. The building was made in a style called Gothic Revival. It was first built for LaGrange College. This college moved and changed its name to Florence Wesleyan University.
When the building was finished in 1856, about 180 students attended. The university grew to 225 students in the early 1860s. This was just before the Civil War started.
Wesleyan Hall During the Civil War
During the Civil War, both Union and Confederate armies used Wesleyan Hall.
General William Tecumseh Sherman was a well-known Union officer. He stayed in Wesleyan Hall during the war. Later in 1864, Confederate General John Bell Hood also used the building. His soldiers camped on the land around it. They even held parties and concerts there. Other Confederate Generals like Pierre G.T. Beauregard and Stephen D. Lee also stayed nearby. They might have used Wesleyan Hall as their main office.
After the war, the university struggled. In 1871, Wesleyan Hall closed its doors.
Becoming a Normal School
People realized that the South needed more trained teachers. So, the Methodist Episcopal Church gave Wesleyan Hall to the state of Alabama. It became a state normal school. A normal school is a place that trains teachers.
During this time, Wesleyan Hall did not have heating. Students used stoves to keep warm in classrooms. Coal oil lamps provided light. Because there were not many students at first, the upper floors were used as dormitories.
The school grounds had an old fence. This fence kept farm animals from wandering onto campus. There were also old stables for horses. A large cistern behind the building supplied water.
Wesleyan Hall in the 1900s
By the early 1900s, Wesleyan Hall was 45 years old. It was still the only building the school owned. Its outside looked much the same as when it was built. It still had its castle-like towers and an observatory on the top floor. The campus was still only the original 12 acres (49,000 m2).
In 1909, a new three-story building was added. This was because more students were joining the school. This new building became known as Wesleyan Annex.
Wesleyan Hall Today
Today, Wesleyan Hall is part of the 130-acre (0.53 km2) University of North Alabama campus. It now holds departments like Geography, Psychology, and Foreign Languages. It also has a Geographic Research Center and special labs for maps and languages.
The Department of Military Science is located in Wesleyan Annex.
Wesleyan Hall also displays items that belonged to Howell Heflin. He was a former Chief Justice of the Alabama Supreme Court and a U.S. Senator. He was from a nearby town. Wesleyan Hall is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. This means it is an important historical site.
Wesleyan Bell and Tower
Next to Wesleyan Hall is the Wesleyan Bell. It is in a special tower. This bell used to ring often in the late 1800s. It called students to class at the Florence Normal School. Around 1910, the bell was taken down and stored away.
In 2002, after almost 100 years, the bell was found again. It was 130 years old! In 2004, the Smith Bell Tower was built. The Wesleyan Bell was then put back in a special place on campus.
