National Register of Historic Places

Grand View College (Old Main)

Des Moines, Polk County, Iowa
Listed
May 22, 1978
Type
Building
Period
Industrial
Ref No.
78001252

About this property

The Humphrey Center, also known as Old Main, is a historic building located on the campus of Grand View University in Des Moines, Iowa, United States. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1978. The Danish Evangelical Lutheran Church in America began planning Grand View College in 1893, and the school opened in 1896. This building was completed in 1895 and housed all of Grand View's operations for a half century. It was designed by Marinus Jensen and Frank James. The Danish Renaissance elements in the building's design was important to the Danish immigrants to the United States who founded the college. Its features are identical to those found at the Belmont Seminary in Bedford, Virginia. They are reminiscent of the architectural style that was popular during the reign of King Christian IV (1596-1648). The building contained the residence for the college's president and his family as well as all its students, the cook, and other personnel. The library, classrooms, chapel, bookstore and other facilities were also housed there. In 1997 the building was renovated and it was renamed the Humphrey Center at that time. It now houses the administrative offices for the university.

Location

1200 Grandview Ave.
Des Moines, Polk County, Iowa
41.62071, -93.60435

Categories

ARCHITECTURE
National Register nomination ›
Sources

Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).

Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

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Nearby Historic Sites

Gabriel, Rees, House
Industrial
0.8 mi
Firestone District Office and Warehouse
Industrial
0.9 mi
College Corner Commercial Historic Business District
Listed
1 mi
Riverview Park Plat Historic District
Listed
1.2 mi
Highland Park Historic Business District at Euclid and Sixth Avenues
Listed
1.2 mi

Questions about this property

When was Grand View College (Old Main) listed on the National Register?

Grand View College (Old Main) was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on May 22, 1978.

What type of historic resource is Grand View College (Old Main)?

Grand View College (Old Main) is classified as a building in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Grand View College (Old Main)?

The period of significance for Grand View College (Old Main) is recorded as the industrial era.

Can I research the history near Grand View College (Old Main)?

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