Jesse Hall is the main administration building for the

University of Missouri The University of Missouri (Mizzou, MU, or Missouri) is a public land-grant research university in Columbia, Missouri. It is Missouri's largest university and the flagship of the four-campus University of Missouri System. MU was founded in ...

. Its dome has towered 180 feet above the south end of David R. Francis Quadrangle since its completion in 1895. In the lawn in front of Jesse Hall are The Columns, all that remains of its predecessor

Academic Hall Academic Hall was the original main building of the University of Missouri. It was dedicated in 1843 and destroyed by fire in 1892. Academic Hall's six Ionic columns, today known as The Columns, stand on Francis Quadrangle as the most recogniza ...

, which burned in 1892. The building contains the office of the chancellor, university registrar, graduate school, admissions, and financial aid. One of the most photographic landmarks in Missouri, the building was designed by Missouri architect

Morris Frederick Bell Morris Frederick Bell (August 8, 1849 – August 2, 1929) was an American architect known primarily for his institutional buildings but also for his domestic and commercial structures. His best known work is the David R. Francis Quadrangle t ...

, and is his largest surviving work. Jesse Auditorium had hosted graduations and many university functions over the years. The University Concert Series presents national and international concerts, Broadway shows, performers, bands, speakers, and theater to the largest auditorium in Columbia. As the former home of the School of Music, student performances occasionally happen. The building is the most prominent contributing structure to the David R. Francis Quadrangle

National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artistic ...

District. In 1922 "New Academic Hall" became "Jesse Hall" in honor of retiring University President

Richard Henry Jesse Richard Henry Jesse (May 1, 1853 – January 21, 1921) was an American educator and the eighth president of the University of Missouri in Columbia, Missouri. He was born in Lancaster County, Virginia 1853 and attended the University of Virginia ...

History

Academic Hall burned on January 9, 1892, leaving only the famous six columns that now stand in the center of Francis Quadrangle. The fire was ignited by an electric chandelier in the meeting room, the forerunner of Jesse Auditorium, during a debate. The "New Academic Hall", just south of the columns, was completed in 1895 at a cost of $250,000.The Maneater – Mystery of Jesse Dome
/ref> In 1922, the hall was renamed in honor of retiring University president,

. In 1932, a tornado ripped through Columbia and caused significant damage to the building. In 1982, a severe storm damaged Jesse Hall, resulting in renovations that included a new ball and new slate on the dome, tempered windows, reinforced beams, and a new paint job. The renovations cost roughly $390,000 and were paid for by state funds. On April 23, 1991, an arson fire caused $350,000-$500,000 in damage to the building.

Architecture

The building is one of the most distinctive on the campus; the dome stands 9 stories above the ground, and is taller than the building it stands on. It was designed by

and fashioned after

Richard M. Upjohn Richard Michell Upjohn, FAIA, (March 7, 1828 – March 3, 1903) was an American architect, co-founder and president of the American Institute of Architects. Early life and career Upjohn was born on March 7, 1828 in Shaftesbury, Dorsetshire, E ...

's Connecticut State House of 1872-1878. The dome was first lit in October 1987 to commemorate MU's sesquicentennial celebration. It is normally illuminated at night by bright white lights, but its color is changed to gold for

Homecoming Homecoming is the tradition of welcoming back alumni or other former members of an organization to celebrate the organization's existence. It is a tradition in many high schools, colleges, and churches in the United States, Canada and Liberia. ...

and green for Engineers' Week each March. A winged sphere originally surmounted the dome. The wings broke from the sphere when an individual fastened the staff of a large American flag to the topmost part of the dome. The winged sphere lives on as the symbol of the secret society

QEBH QEBH is a senior honor society at the University of Missouri. Founded in 1898, it is the oldest of six recognized secret honor societies that participate in the annual tradition of Tap Day on campus. History The society was founded in November 18 ...

William Lincoln Garver William Lincoln Garver was an American architect, civil engineer, author, socialist leader, and political candidate from Missouri. He was primarily an architect by trade, and learned while working under his uncle, architect Morris Frederick Bell ...

was assistant architect and superintendent of construction.

Jesse Auditorium

The original entrance to the auditorium was from the quad on the north side. It originally seated 1,200 people, but after being proclaimed a fire hazard the wooden balcony was removed, reducing capacity to only 400. A complete renovation of the auditorium was carried out in 1953 with a design by

Jamieson and Spearl Jamieson and Spearl was a St. Louis, Missouri architectural firm that designed most of the buildings built at Washington University in St. Louis and the University of Missouri in Columbia between 1912 and 1950. Biography James Paterson Jamieson ( ...

, and today it seats 1,732. Many great talents have graced the stage at Jesse.

William Jennings Bryan William Jennings Bryan (March 19, 1860 – July 26, 1925) was an American lawyer, orator and politician. Beginning in 1896, he emerged as a dominant force in the History of the Democratic Party (United States), Democratic Party, running ...

gave his famous "Pending Problems" lecture there in 1900. Today, the University Concert Series books events such as touring Broadway shows, symphony orchestras, singers, and comedians from around the world.

Gallery

File:Jesse Hall rotunda at the University of Missouri.jpg, The rotunda File:AvenueOfTheColumns.JPG, Through the Memorial Gateway File:Artist rendering of David R. Francis Quadrangle (1905).jpg, Jesse Hall and the Quad in 1905 File:Mizzou Jesse.jpg, Jesse Hall and the Quad File:Academic Hall cornerstone.jpg, The cornerstone of Academic Hal File:University of Missouri.jpg, The circle drive File:University of Missouri College of Education Townsend Hall.jpg, Jesse Dome behind Townsend Hall

References

The novel, Stoner by

John Williams John Towner Williams (born February 8, 1932)Nylund, Rob (15 November 2022)Classic Connection review '' WBOI'' ("For the second time this year, the Fort Wayne Philharmonic honored American composer, conductor, and arranger John Williams, who w ...

(1965), takes place in Columbia, Missouri where one of its main settings is a slightly fictionalized version of Jesse Hall on the University of Missouri campus.

External links