"Old Main" Administration Building (Marsh Hall)
Construction Began August 5, 1911
The cornerstone was laid with full Masonic honors on August 5, 1911 for this first building to be constructed on the new 26.4-acre campus donated to the State by Stephen T. & Rhoda A. Vermillion. When completed in Spring of 1912, the 1912-1913 catalog described it as follows: “The new building, on the new grounds, is a modern two story brick building with thirteen recitation rooms, each 24 x 30, and seated with new and modern seats. Besides the thirteen recitation rooms, the Principal’s office is on the first floor. Besides the fine heating plant in the basement there are also seven large rooms, two of which are used for toilet rooms, and the other five, when finished, will be used for society rooms for the following societies: Young Women’s Christian Association, Young Men’s Christian Association, the Philomathean Literary Society, and the American Literary Society. This building is very convenient and one of the best for Normal School purposes in this part of the country.” Over the years, various additions as well as internal and external renovations to the building have been made, including a facelift to the front with the addition of a brick veneer to match the flanking library and Science Hall and the elimination of the “cheesework” on top of the building to bring it to a straight line appearance.
