At the foot of the carillon tower at the front of University Hall is an arched portico entrance surrounded by massive granite stones under which one must pass to enter the building. Within the portico are granite steps leading up to the large double wood and glass doors. Also within are a series of plaques, 47 of which are dedicational plaques, one for each of the bells in the carillon above.
The carillon tower, built in 1897, was dedicated to John Ellis, music professor and carillonneur of the university, after his death in 1992. Originally simply a bell tower, it became a carillon tower when the donated carillon bells were installed. It was dedicated on October 18th, 1953. It contains 47 bells, covering four octaves, all of which were donated by friends of the university. The nine ton carillon is played from the clavier below. It was played for 23 years by carillonneur John C. Ellis, from 1969 to 1992.
Fronting the Oval at the heart of the campus, the university’s oldest standing building, also known as Main Hall, proudly represents the birth of this noble institution. Celebrated Missoula architect A. J. Gibson designed the Richardsonian Romanesque style building that, along with its now-demolished companion Science Hall, comprised the campus at the school’s opening in 1899. During the university’s dedication ceremony in 1898, corn, oil, and water symbolizing plenty, joy, and peace were poured over the building’s cornerstone. Today the hourly chiming of the bells in the majestic bell tower serves as constant reminder of the enduring solidity of the university.
From the NRHP Plaque