Old Main (University of Wyoming) - Architecture and Construction

Architecture and Construction

Frederick Hale began his career as an architect in Denver around 1890. After designing Old Main early in his career, Hale moved to Utah where he proceeded to become an important figure in Salt Lake City architecture. Hale’s portfolio included are the David Keith Mansion, the Downey House, the Haxton Place, and the Markland/Walker House, all built on Salt Lake City’s historic Temple Street. He also built the A.O. Whitmore Electric Automobile Building in Salt Lake City.

Old Main was built in the Romanesque style. The heavy stone construction, the axial nature, the use of symmetry, the use of the arch, and the rectangular footprint displayed at Old Main are all strong characteristics of Romanesque construction. The primary stone used is rough-cut sandstone quarried from east of Laramie. The trim stone is Potsdam Sandstone quarried from the Rawlins area. This stone is smooth in texture providing contrast to the native sandstone.

Being the first University building in the Wyoming Territory, Old Main needed to be a monumental structure, so Hale designed symmetrical building with a central spire. The spire served as both a focal point for the structure and a signal of importance to anyone passing by.

Rather than designing a building similar to university structures of the East, Hale designed Old Main in the context of Wyoming. The rough-textured body of the building represented the developing frontier, while the minimal usage of classical decoration symbolized the emerging sophistication of the Wyoming population.

The cornerstone was laid on September 27, 1886 by the Masonic Order. Construction was completed on September 1, 1887; just in time for classes to begin on September 6, 1887. When opened, Old Main was called the University Building because it housed the entire university: classrooms, labs, administration, maintenance, an auditorium and a library were included, plus a two-story, 500-seat auditorium on the second level that quickly became the entertainment center for Laramie.