“Old Main,” which has been beloved by generations of Marshall students and Huntington residents, is featured in the 2016 calendar for the month of September. Marshall University Interim President Gary G. White and Huntington Mayor Steve Williams helped West Virginia Division of Culture and History Commissioner Randall Reid-Smith unveil the calendar earlier today at a media event in Old Main.
An outreach program of the State Historic Preservation Office, the annual calendar features photographs of historic resources in West Virginia and information about the programs that protect and preserve them. The 2016 calendar celebrates the 50th anniversary of the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966.
Old Main is Marshall’s oldest structure. Actually a series of five distinct sections built at various times and joined together between the years 1868 and 1908, it rests on a knoll facing Hal Greer Boulevard and Fourth Avenue in Huntington. The building’s distinctive Tudor-Gothic tower and turrets are among the university’s most-recognized symbols.
Over its history, Old Main also has been referred to as Main Hall, Administration Building and Woman’s Hall. The name Old Main appears to have been adopted during Marshall’s centennial in 1937. At various times over the years, the building has been home to the institution’s chapel/commencement hall, women’s dormitories, library, classrooms and gymnasium. It now houses student services and administrative offices, including the Office of the President.
Old Main was listed in the National Register of Historic Places in 1973. For more information, visit www.marshall.edu/special-collections/old_main.
In addition to Old Main, one other Marshall building is listed in the register. The Marshall University President’s Home, located at 1040 13th Ave., is listed in the National Register as part of the Ritter Park Historic District. The house was built in 1923 for Charles W. Campbell, a prominent attorney and mayor of Huntington. In addition to serving as the home of the president’s family, the house and lawn are used for official university events.
Cutline: West Virginia Division of Culture and History Commissioner Randall Reid-Smith, left, Marshall Interim President Gary G. White and Huntington Mayor Steve Williams, right, pose next to a picture of Old Main earlier today in White’s office during the unveiling of the West Virginia State Historic Preservation Office calendar.
Photo by Rick Haye/Marshall University