National Register of Historic Places

Old North Tower, Central State College

Edmond, Oklahoma County, Oklahoma
Listed
June 20, 1971
Type
Building
Period
Industrial
Ref No.
71000671

About this property

Old North Tower (or Old North) is the oldest building on the University of Central Oklahoma campus in Edmond, Oklahoma, and the oldest building of higher education in the state of Oklahoma. Originally built in 1892, it was the first permanent building on the Territorial Normal School campus. The construction of Old North, designed by J.G. Haskell began in the summer of 1892, and classes began in January 1893. Early in Old North's history the building was deemed unsafe. In 1911, the structure was set for demolition, but instead was renovated. A major milestone for Old North was when the building was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1971. In 1996, President Bill Clinton gave a speech outside of Old North. The university closed Old North in 2001 because of structural and safety issues. Old North was left dormant until funds could be raised to renovate the building. The $11 million of renovations include the addition of an east wing, an amphitheater, additional maintenance space, and elevators to make the building ADA compliant. The building was the centerpiece of UCO's Always Central campaign to raise $40 million; however, the renovations were scheduled to be the last portion of the campaign. In 2017, the building officially reopened.

Location

400 E. Hurd St., Central State College campus
Edmond, Oklahoma County, Oklahoma
35.65588, -97.47394

Categories

EDUCATION
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

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0 mi
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Edmond Armory
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0.5 mi
American Legion Hut
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0.5 mi

Questions about this property

When was Old North Tower, Central State College listed on the National Register?

Old North Tower, Central State College was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on June 20, 1971.

What type of historic resource is Old North Tower, Central State College?

Old North Tower, Central State College is classified as a building in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Old North Tower, Central State College?

The period of significance for Old North Tower, Central State College is recorded as the industrial era.

Can I research the history near Old North Tower, Central State College?

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