Old Main, Suomi College
Encyclopedia
Old Main, Suomi College is an educational building located on Quincy Street on the Finlandia University
campus in Hancock, Michigan
. It is also known as the Suomi College Building. It was designated a Michigan State Historic Site in 1959 and listed on the National Register of Historic Places
in 1972.
The first building of Suomi College was Old Main; it was constructed using plans drawn by architect Charles Archibald Pearce. The firm of Bajari & Ulseth was contracted to perform the carpentry work, and William Scott for the stonework. The total cost of the building was $40,000. The cornerstone of the building was laid on May 30, 1898 and the building was dedicated on January 21, 1900.
Suomi quickly outgrew Old Main, and an additional frame building housing a gym, meeting hall and music center was constructed in 1901. In the 1920s, Suomi's mission shifted and it became primarily a liberal arts college. In 1958, the seminary separated from the rest of the college. In 2000, Suomi changed its name to Finlandia University.
building constructed from rough Jacobsville sandstone
, which was quarried at the Portage Entry of the Keweenaw waterway. It has a gabled roof with wall dormers. The main entrance is surmounted by an arch, with a large bay window and tower above. Heavy buttresses divide the windows and support the tower. The rear is relatively devoid of ornamentation. The building originally contained everything required for the young college: a dormitory, kitchen, and laundry, as well as classrooms, offices, a library, chapel and lounge. As Suomi changed, Old Main has been used for multiple purposes; however, little alteration of the exterior was required. As of 2009, the building houses administrative offices such as Financial Aid, Admissions, and the Office of Student Accounts.
Finlandia University
Finlandia University is a university in Hancock, Michigan, United States, and the only private university in the Upper Peninsula. Founded in 1896 as Suomi College, it is affiliated with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.-History:...
campus in Hancock, Michigan
Hancock, Michigan
Hancock is a city in Houghton County; the northernmost in the U.S. state of Michigan, located on the Keweenaw Peninsula, or, depending on terminology, Copper Island. The population was 4,634 at the 2010 census...
. It is also known as the Suomi College Building. It was designated a Michigan State Historic Site in 1959 and listed on the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
in 1972.
History
In the late 1800s, large numbers of Finns settled in Hancock, drawn by the jobs in mining and lumber. One of those immigrants was J. K. Nikander, a pastor of the Finnish Evangelical Lutheran Church of America. Nikander wanted to ensure that Finnish Lutheran ministers would be available in America, staving off the loss of Finnish identity in the population. In 1896, Nikander founded a new institution, Suomi College. Suomi's mission was to train Lutheran ministers and to teach English.The first building of Suomi College was Old Main; it was constructed using plans drawn by architect Charles Archibald Pearce. The firm of Bajari & Ulseth was contracted to perform the carpentry work, and William Scott for the stonework. The total cost of the building was $40,000. The cornerstone of the building was laid on May 30, 1898 and the building was dedicated on January 21, 1900.
Suomi quickly outgrew Old Main, and an additional frame building housing a gym, meeting hall and music center was constructed in 1901. In the 1920s, Suomi's mission shifted and it became primarily a liberal arts college. In 1958, the seminary separated from the rest of the college. In 2000, Suomi changed its name to Finlandia University.
Description
Old Main is a three-story Richardsonian RomanesqueRichardsonian Romanesque
Richardsonian Romanesque is a style of Romanesque Revival architecture named after architect Henry Hobson Richardson, whose masterpiece is Trinity Church, Boston , designated a National Historic Landmark...
building constructed from rough Jacobsville sandstone
Jacobsville Sandstone
Jacobsville Sandstone is a red sandstone common to the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. Commonly used as an architectural building stone, it is found in the Keweenaw Peninsula and north shore of the Upper Peninsula. Its name is due to the sandstone being quarried largely in Jacobsville, Michigan....
, which was quarried at the Portage Entry of the Keweenaw waterway. It has a gabled roof with wall dormers. The main entrance is surmounted by an arch, with a large bay window and tower above. Heavy buttresses divide the windows and support the tower. The rear is relatively devoid of ornamentation. The building originally contained everything required for the young college: a dormitory, kitchen, and laundry, as well as classrooms, offices, a library, chapel and lounge. As Suomi changed, Old Main has been used for multiple purposes; however, little alteration of the exterior was required. As of 2009, the building houses administrative offices such as Financial Aid, Admissions, and the Office of Student Accounts.