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Property Location
Property Features
Across the mall is North Hall’s twin, the former Agriculture Hall, now called South Hall, erected in 1855. Both buildings served as soldiers' barracks during the Civil War. Before that, South Hall was a segregated facility for educating women.
South Hall is contributing to the Bascom Hill Historic District, NR listed 1974, NRIS #: 74000065
"Continuing down the hill, you will come to South Hall, the second building erected on campus. Like its twin, North Hall, directly across the mall, it was designed by architect John Rague. Built in 1855 for $20,000, the building has housed students, faculty members and their families, and the University Library, and was the Female College's headquarters before Ladie's Hall was built. The history of women in the University dates back to 1863 when all but one of the UW graduating class of 32 left for the Civil War. To attract enough students to keep the doors from closing in 1864, women were allowed to attended classes. In 1864, of 229 students, 169 were in the Normal School Department, and of these 119 were women.
South Hall has offices of the College of Letters and Science, the largest instructional unit on campus, formed in 1889 from a merger of the arts and letters colleges.. The Academic Advancement Program is on the fourth floor. A bronze marker outside the west entrance marks the original site of the School of Pharmacy, which pioneered both bachelor's and advanced research degrees in pharmacy." University of Wisconsin-Madison, University of Wisconsin-Madison Tour Guide, 1988.
National And State Register Of Historic Places Listings
Architecture & History Inventory
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Bascom Hill Elms
1980
Tall, spreading elms line the sidewalks leading up the mall to Bascom Hall on the University of Wisconsin-Madison campus. Van Vleck Hall is to the left. Students are sitting and lying on the grass ...
Bounded by Observatory Dr., University Ave., and N. Park, Langdon, and State Sts.
74000065
Located in Madison, Dane County
Bascom Hill, UW Campus, Madison
1880
Drawing of University Hall by D.C. Salisbury showing the view from the bottom, south side of the hill on the University of Wisconsin campus. Bascom Hall, built in 1859, was originally called Unive...
Cadets on Campus
1885
Elevated view across Bascom Hill on the campus of the University of Wisconsin. Student cadets in training march past South Hall down Bascom Hill.
