Morrill Hall - University of Nevada, Reno - U.S. National Register of Historic Places on Waymarking.com

Morrill Hall is now home to the Alumni Center. The following comes from the NPS.gov nomination form that describes the history of this building and the more interesting points read:

The cornerstone for Morrill Hall was laid September 12, 1885 and the building was ready for occupancy February 15, 1886. Ihe building is of brick construction two stories high with a mansard roof of wood forming the third story. A deep basement provided additional space for classrooms and other uses. Edward Parsons, distinguished Reno architect, describes Morrill Hall in these terms:

"It's a classic example of,Italianate Victorian architecture. It is dignified with a wood shingled mansard roof and full dormer windows. Its central bell tower has a Gothic arch. The grand mahogany stairway dominates the central hall. Doorways, heavily cased in molded trim, enclose massive four-paneled doors and glass transoms. The door stiles and rails, painted mahogany, contrast with the panels which are skillfully painted imitation Birds-eye maple. Wainscoting surround the hall is similarly treated. Walls and ceilings are plaster Sixteen feet high ceilings are trimmed with plaster-run molds."

Morrill Hall's primary significance lies in the fact that it was the very first building on the University of Nevada-Reno campus, and for a number of years it was an all-purpose building housing the administration offices, classrooms and dormitories.

Morrill Hall, or the State University as it was at the time of its establishment, came into being when Nevada was little more than a collection of rough mining camps and railroad towns. For the next decade Morrill Hall symbolized the determination of the people of those hard times to provide for themselves and their children educational opportunities which they, for the most part, had never enjoyed.

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There is a historical marker located to the left of the front entrance doors and reads:

MORRILL HALL, 1887 FIRST BUILDING ON THE RENO CAMPUS, MORRILL HALL WAS NAMED IN HONOR OF SENATOR JUSTIN S. MORRILL OF VERMONT. AUTHOR OF THE MORRILL LAND-GRANT ACT OF 1862 WHICH LED TO THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE UNIVERSITY. FOUNDED IN ELKO IN 1874, THE CAMPUS WAS MOVED TO RENO IN 1885. NEVADA CENTENNIAL MARKER NO. 24 SPONSOR: DAUGHTER OF THE AMERICAN COLONISTS

County / Borough / Parish: Washoe Year listed: 1974 Historic (Areas of) Significance: Event, Architecture/Engineering Periods of significance: 1875-1899 Historic function: Education Current function: Education Privately owned?: no Primary Web Site: [Web Link] Secondary Website 1: [Web Link] Secondary Website 2: [Web Link] Street address: Not listed Season start / Season finish: Not listed Hours of operation: Not listed National Historic Landmark Link: Not listed

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