Morrill Hall, on the campus of
Iowa State University
Iowa State University of Science and Technology (Iowa State University, Iowa State, or ISU) is a public land-grant research university in Ames, Iowa. Founded in 1858 as the Iowa Agricultural College and Model Farm, Iowa State became one of the n ...
, is a historic building that now houses the
Christian Petersen Art Museum.
It was named for
Justin Smith Morrill
Justin Smith Morrill (April 14, 1810December 28, 1898) was an American politician and entrepreneur who represented Vermont in the United States House of Representatives (1855–1867) and United States Senate (1867–1898). He is most widely remem ...
, who created the
Morrill Land-Grant Colleges Act. Construction was completed in 1891 with less than $30,000. Morrill Hall was originally constructed to fill the capacity of a library, museum, and chapel. These original uses are engraved in the exterior stonework on the east side.
It was vacated starting in 1996 when it was determined unsafe. Also in 1996, Morrill Hall was listed on the
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 v ...
. In 2005, $9 million was raised to renovate the building and convert it into a museum. Morrill Hall has reopened as of March 2007, including the new
Christian Petersen Art Museum.
The building has 27,172 square feet.
Chimneys at the four corners are designed to provide draft for natural ventilation, unlike most chimneys (which exhaust products of burning).
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See also
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Campus of Iowa State University#Current buildings
*
Morrill Hall, Cornell University
*
Morrill Hall, University of Nevada, Reno
References
University and college buildings on the National Register of Historic Places in Iowa
Romanesque Revival architecture in Iowa
School buildings completed in 1891
Iowa State University buildings and structures
National Register of Historic Places in Story County, Iowa
1891 establishments in Iowa
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