Welcome to the first installment in our series exploring the legacy of iconic buildings at the University of Wyoming. In this ongoing collection of posts, we’re taking a walk back through time to tell the stories behind some of UW’s most recognizable and storied structures. The American Heritage Center serves as the University’s official archive, preserving the history housed within the walls of UW’s historical structures.
As early as 1881, Governor John Hoyt urged the Wyoming Territorial Legislature to approve the allocation of 65 sections of federal lands to establish a university. Yet, action on this request didn’t materialize until 1886. According to historian Deborah Hardy, Hoyt said years later, “The territorial legislature might not have even entertained the idea of establishing a university if it had not promised certain financial advantages.”
The Legislature in March 1886 created a University Building Commission that was authorized to “procure, by purchase, donation, or otherwise, in the name of the Territory of Wyoming, a suitable site within or near the limits of said City of Laramie, upon which to erect the said university building, and shall thereupon proceed to contract for, and superintend the erection of such building, in the manner herein provided.”
The site for the new campus was ten acres of land that had served as Laramie’s City Park, deeded to the town by the Union Pacific Railroad when “Laramie City” was first laid out. The University’s first building would be erected in the center of the former park.
A bid for the project was accepted on July 1, 1886. Denver architect Frederick Hale designed the building and Cook and Callahan of Laramie was contracted to build it at a cost not to exceed $50,000 (about $1,700,000 in today’s dollars). Initially, the building was to face south, but it was determined that a west-facing structure was ideal for the ground slope.
Designed when builders were inspired by a wide range of historical architectural styles, the building showcases a unique blend of architectural elements from the Chateauesque and Romanesque traditions. Chateauesque style borrows from the grand French Renaissance châteaux, often featuring steep roofs, turrets, and ornate detailing reminiscent of French castles. Meanwhile, Romanesque architecture is characterized by its robust and solid appearance, employing rounded arches, sturdy columns, and a sense of monumental simplicity. The building’s style is unique within the state and makes it one of Wyoming’s most distinctive public structures, second only to the state capitol in public recognition.
The University Building was swiftly constructed, with the Masonic Order laying its cornerstone on September 27, 1886. This cornerstone bears the inscription Domi habuit unde disceret, which may be translated “He had a home where he could learn.” Completion of the new structure was achieved by September 1, 1887. The facing, crafted from rough-cut sandstone quarried near Laramie and smooth Potsdam Sandstone near Rawlins, contributed to the enduring impact of the edifice on UW’s architectural landscape. Its design, characterized by its three portal layout, also left a profound influence on subsequent campus structures, such as Half Acre Gymnasium. Interestingly, Old Main is the only building on campus constructed during Wyoming’s territorial period, and one of only a handful of territorial institutional buildings left standing.
Doors of the University Building opened to students on September 6, 1887, as they began arriving for classes that would begin September 12. The entire university was contained within the building’s walls, including a library, classrooms, laboratory, engineering shop, a gymnasium, and a music room. Upon Grace Raymond Hebard’s arrival in 1891 to take a position at UW, the stark surroundings framing the building caught her attention. Wilson Clough, a chronicler of the university’s history, noted her recollection of “no trees, no fences, no grass, no bushes. North of the building there was a buffalo wallow, and to the east nothing but sagebrush and the city cemetery on the distant slope.” Yet, she also found inspiration, “And in the midst the tower rose like a beacon light.”
A two-story, 500-seat auditorium on the second level quickly became an entertainment center for the still emerging town of Laramie. This “assembly room” held not only morning gatherings for the entire university, but also served as a primary lecture hall for visiting dignitaries.
Even though the room was large enough to accommodate the entire student body and faculty well into the early 1900s, it was not large enough to hold the huge crowd that came to hear President Theodore Roosevelt on his visit to Laramie in 1903.
The University Building remained the only instructional space on campus until the Mechanical Arts Building was completed six years later in 1893. As other buildings were added, it was commonly referred to as the “Main Building.” In 1922, the UW Trustees approved the official name of “University Hall.” However, by the mid-1920’s students were referring to it as “Old Main” – a reference to it being the old, main building on campus. The use of “University Hall” quickly faded.
When first built, Old Main had an impressive tower that was a landmark for the UW campus and the town of Laramie. But less than a decade after construction, it began crack and then to lean. Temporary measures were taken to secure it, but in April 1915, UW Trustees approved its immediate removal for safety reasons, and the project was completed in late May. Much unhappiness resulted from the loss of the tower. The Wyoming Student, the campus newspaper, expressed sorrow over the tower’s removal in an article dated December 22, 1915, lamenting, “But that the building should change, that it should lose any of its pristine dignity, is a loss to be regretted. And this is what has occurred. It has no longer all the dignity which used to grace it. With the destruction of the tower and the placing of an ugly, dun-colored, frail wooden structure where it formerly raised its head so high, the pride of the coming student and the pleasant memory of the departing graduate, much of the glory of the building vanished.” Efforts to add a new tower began almost immediately and continued unsuccessfully for decades.
Old Main is part of the narrative behind the election of the first woman governor in the United States—Nellie Tayloe Ross. Her husband, William Ross, had been elected Wyoming’s governor in 1922. In September 1924, he was stumping the state to promote a constitutional amendment to adopt a severance tax on minerals. While on this strenuous speaking tour, he stopped in Laramie to speak to a large crowd in the Old Main assembly room. He became ill toward the end of his speech and was driven back to Cheyenne, where he was admitted to the hospital with severe abdominal pains. The next morning, his appendix burst and within days, he died. Although in mourning, his widow was nominated as the Democratic candidate for governor and won in a close election later that year.
In 1949, Old Main was completely gutted with structural enhancements added to make the 63 year old building more stable. Originally, the entrances of the building had been positioned above ground level, requiring visitors to ascend to the first floor before entering. However, in the renovation modifications were made, shifting the entrance to the basement level, allowing visitors to enter the building at ground level. The auditorium was replaced by a large central staircase and two stories of office space. The president’s office and those of other top UW administrators were relocated here, where they remain today.
“Old Main” became the structure’s official title when the name was engraved in 1949 on the stone above the main entrance.
We’ll continue this journey through UW’s architectural past next time with a look at Science Hall (now the Geology Building) and the narrative surrounding its construction from 1900 to 1902.
If you’re interested in learning more about the University Archives program at the AHC, see our website at https://www.uwyo.edu/ahc/uw-archives/index.html. You can also contact University Archivist and Historian John Waggener at waggener@uwyo.edu or 307-766-2563.
Be sure to check out the AHC virtual exhibit “Keeping History Alive: 136 Years of Progress.” It combines historic photos of the UW campus with those taken in 2022 to show how the campus has changed (and stayed the same) over time. For additional perspectives on campus development and architecture, explore our exhibit “University of Wyoming: A Brief History of Campus.”
