National Register of Historic Places

Old Main

Charleston, Coles County, Illinois
Listed
June 15, 1981
Type
Building
Period
Industrial
Ref No.
81000214

About this property

The Old Main, also known as the Livingston C. Lord Administration Building, is the oldest building at Eastern Illinois University in Charleston, Illinois. Construction on the building began in 1896 and was completed in 1899. Architect George H. Miller designed the building, which has a medieval style resembling a castle. The building features a central tower, multiple turrets, and a crenellated roof line. It is one of five medieval buildings built at Illinois' public universities under Illinois Governor John Peter Altgeld's administrations; the buildings are collectively known as Altgeld's castles. The Old Main originally housed all of the offices and classrooms for Eastern Illinois, its library, auditorium, and gymnasium. It was the only building on campus until 1909, when Pemberton Hall opened. The building is now used mainly as an administrative building, though it still contains some classrooms. The building was added to the National Register of Historic Places on June 16, 1981.

Location

Charleston, Coles County, Illinois
39.48422, -88.17525

Categories

EDUCATIONARCHITECTURE
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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Native Heritage
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Nearby Historic Sites

Health Education Building
Industrial
0.2 mi
McFarland House
Industrial
0.4 mi
Sixth, Seventh, and Tenth Street Stone Arch Bridges
Civil War
0.6 mi
Coles County Courthouse
Industrial
0.7 mi
Pemberton Hall and Gymnasium
Industrial
0.8 mi

Questions about this property

When was Old Main listed on the National Register?

Old Main was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on June 15, 1981.

What type of historic resource is Old Main?

Old Main is classified as a building in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Old Main?

The period of significance for Old Main is recorded as the industrial era.

Can I research the history near Old Main?

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