Old Main (University of Arizona), Tucson (must see)
Old Main, University of Arizona, originally known as the University of Arizona, School of Agriculture building, was the first building constructed on the University of Arizona campus in Tucson, Arizona. Old Main is one of the oldest surviving educational structures in the western United States. It was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1972.
Designed by Phoenix architect James Miller Creighton, construction of Old Main began on October 27, 1887. The budget of $37,969 ran out before the roof was finished. When university officials discovered federal loans were available for agricultural schools, they renamed the building from the originally planned School of Mines to the School of Agriculture. Federal funding allowed completion of the building and it opened for the first class of the university on October 1, 1891. Old Main, then the only building on the campus, contained the classrooms, library, offices, and dorms. Six faculty taught 32 students in 1891.
In 1919, the Alexander Berger Memorial Fountain was constructed in front of Old Main. Berger funded the project as a memorial for 13 University of Arizona students who were killed in World War I, including his nephew. Completed for $5500, the fountain was dedicated on January 31, 1920 by General John J. "Blackjack" Pershing.
Due to neglect by the University, Old Main fell into disrepair and was condemned by the City of Tucson in 1938. Demolition was averted when the US Navy repaired the building in 1942, for use as a Naval Indoctrination Training School during World War II. The Navy then paid $20,000 in 1945 to turn it back into a functioning campus building.
The first floor of Old Main was restored and renovated in 2008 at a cost of $4.6 million. It then housed the University's Office of Admissions, Center for Exploratory Students, and the Dean of Student's Office. In January 2013, renovation of the entire building began 鈥� including a modernization of the interior spaces, replacing the roof, and framing the porch. It reopened before the 2014-15 academic year. In addition to extensive improvements, the Office of the President was relocated to Old Main.
Designed by Phoenix architect James Miller Creighton, construction of Old Main began on October 27, 1887. The budget of $37,969 ran out before the roof was finished. When university officials discovered federal loans were available for agricultural schools, they renamed the building from the originally planned School of Mines to the School of Agriculture. Federal funding allowed completion of the building and it opened for the first class of the university on October 1, 1891. Old Main, then the only building on the campus, contained the classrooms, library, offices, and dorms. Six faculty taught 32 students in 1891.
In 1919, the Alexander Berger Memorial Fountain was constructed in front of Old Main. Berger funded the project as a memorial for 13 University of Arizona students who were killed in World War I, including his nephew. Completed for $5500, the fountain was dedicated on January 31, 1920 by General John J. "Blackjack" Pershing.
Due to neglect by the University, Old Main fell into disrepair and was condemned by the City of Tucson in 1938. Demolition was averted when the US Navy repaired the building in 1942, for use as a Naval Indoctrination Training School during World War II. The Navy then paid $20,000 in 1945 to turn it back into a functioning campus building.
The first floor of Old Main was restored and renovated in 2008 at a cost of $4.6 million. It then housed the University's Office of Admissions, Center for Exploratory Students, and the Dean of Student's Office. In January 2013, renovation of the entire building began 鈥� including a modernization of the interior spaces, replacing the roof, and framing the porch. It reopened before the 2014-15 academic year. In addition to extensive improvements, the Office of the President was relocated to Old Main.
Sight description based on Wikipedia.
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Old Main (University of Arizona) on Map
Sight Name: Old Main (University of Arizona)
Sight Location: Tucson, USA (See walking tours in Tucson)
Sight Type: Attraction/Landmark
Guide(s) Containing This Sight:
Sight Location: Tucson, USA (See walking tours in Tucson)
Sight Type: Attraction/Landmark
Guide(s) Containing This Sight:
Walking Tours in Tucson, Arizona
Create Your Own Walk in Tucson
Creating your own self-guided walk in Tucson is easy and fun. Choose the city attractions that you want to see and a walk route map will be created just for you. You can even set your hotel as the start point of the walk.
University of Arizona Walking Tour
Founded in 1885, the University of Arizona (U of A) was the first university in the state, and so far has been the only representative from the state of Arizona in the Association of American Universities.
The U of A campus in Tucson proudly showcases a number of landmarks, each with its own story and unique allure. Among these, the Old Main building, an architectural gem, completed in 1891,... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.8 Km or 1.7 Miles
The U of A campus in Tucson proudly showcases a number of landmarks, each with its own story and unique allure. Among these, the Old Main building, an architectural gem, completed in 1891,... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.8 Km or 1.7 Miles
Tucson Architecture Walking Tour
Just as any city is not an accident but the result of coherent visions and aims, Tucson's architectural landscape bears witness to the city's profound historical narrative and cultural melange.
From the majestic belfries of the Saint Augustine Cathedral, adorned with the Spanish Colonial Revival-style opulence, to the resplendent Scottish Rite Cathedral (also known as the Masonic... view more
Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.1 Km or 1.3 Miles
From the majestic belfries of the Saint Augustine Cathedral, adorned with the Spanish Colonial Revival-style opulence, to the resplendent Scottish Rite Cathedral (also known as the Masonic... view more
Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.1 Km or 1.3 Miles
Tucson Downtown Walking Tour
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The Spanish name, Tucson, is derived from the Uto-Aztecan language, meaning "at the foot of the black hill" 鈥� a nod to Sentinel Peak's basalt... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 3.0 Km or 1.9 Miles
The Spanish name, Tucson, is derived from the Uto-Aztecan language, meaning "at the foot of the black hill" 鈥� a nod to Sentinel Peak's basalt... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 3.0 Km or 1.9 Miles