National Register of Historic Places

Morrill Hall

Ames, Story County, Iowa
Listed
June 27, 1996
Type
Building
Period
Industrial
Ref No.
96000700

About this property

Morrill Hall, on the campus of Iowa State University, is a historic building that now houses the Christian Petersen Art Museum. It was named for Justin Smith Morrill, who created the Morrill Land-Grant Colleges Act. Construction was completed in 1891 with less than $30,000. Morrill Hall was originally constructed to fill the capacity of a library, museum, and chapel. These original uses are engraved in the exterior stonework on the east side. It was vacated starting in 1996 when it was determined unsafe. Also in 1996, Morrill Hall was listed on the National Register of Historic Places. In 2005, $9 million was raised to renovate the building and convert it into a museum. Morrill Hall has reopened as of March 2007, including the new Christian Petersen Art Museum. Chimneys at the four corners are designed to provide draft for natural ventilation, unlike most chimneys (which exhaust products of burning).

Location

Ames, Story County, Iowa
42.02732, -93.64792

Categories

ARCHITECTUREEDUCATION
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.

Unlimited access

Everything a full report reveals about Morrill Hall

This page lists Morrill Hall. A full Aubrey report for an address near it pulls together this listing alongside battlefield records, land patents, and every other historical record within a chosen radius:

Overview
An interactive map of the location with historic sites, battles and Native heritage plotted, and its full story era by era.
The Land
The historic sites and place names around the location, and how this land was settled and used.
Geology
The bedrock beneath the site, its age and rock type, reaching back millions of years.
LiDAR Terrain
Laser-scanned terrain that reveals earthworks and old features hidden in the landscape.
Conflict & War
The battles, raids and skirmishes fought near here, across every era of American conflict.
The Civil War
The Civil War on this ground, 1861 to 1865: who held it, and the battles, camps and regiments nearby.
The Soldiers
The men who marched from here in the Civil War, named and traced where the record allows.
Native Heritage
The Native nations who held this land, mapped across time from before European contact to today.
Settlement
Who claimed and held this ground, from Indigenous homelands through the colonial powers to the United States.
The Community
How the town grew, who came, and what kind of place it became, traced through the census record.
Rivers & Rail
The rivers, canals and railroads that connected this place between 1830 and 1911.
Notable People
The people born, buried or genuinely tied to this exact place, with their stories.
Historical Maps
Historic maps of the location layered over how it looks today.
Finds & Access
Museum objects tied to the area, and the laws on searching, collecting and access here.
Literature
The old books, county histories and archives that mention this place, quoted with their sources.
Spotlight
A deep dive into the most remarkable, lesser-known history of the place, traced back to the record.
Points of Interest
The most significant historic sites and landmarks near the location, and why they matter.
Timeline
The whole story of the location told era by era, from first peoples to the present day.
First month just $5.99, then $11.99 a month. Unlimited locations, cancel anytime.

Every location is different. Not every section appears for every place, only what the historical record actually holds turns up in a report.

Start your Morrill Hall report
Or see a real report first

Nearby Historic Sites

Agriculture Hall
Industrial
0.1 mi
Alumni Hall
Industrial
0.2 mi
Marston Water Tower
Industrial
0.2 mi
Engineering Hall
Industrial
0.2 mi
Colonials Club House
Colonial
0.2 mi

Questions about this property

When was Morrill Hall listed on the National Register?

Morrill Hall was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on June 27, 1996.

What type of historic resource is Morrill Hall?

Morrill Hall is classified as a building in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Morrill Hall?

The period of significance for Morrill Hall is recorded as the industrial era.

Can I research the history near Morrill Hall?

Yes. Aubrey Research reports search National Register listings, battlefield records, land patents, and other primary historical sources within any radius of a US address. A report for an address near Morrill Hall will include this listing and all other historical records in the area.

More in Story County

Historic places, battles, and census history across Story County.

Explore StoryCounty ›

More historic places in Iowa

Browse all historic places in Iowa.

View Iowahistoric sites ›

Conflict records

Explore 19,000+ military engagements across American history.

Browse US conflicts ›

Iowa history

Colonial settlement, territorial period, and statehood narrative.

Iowahistory ›

Research the history near this site

An Aubrey US report for an address near Morrill Hall will include this listing alongside battlefield records and other historical sources within your chosen radius.

Research your locationView a free sample report