National Register of Historic Places

University of Wisconsin Memorial Union

Madison, Dane County, Wisconsin
Listed
May 18, 2015
Type
Building
Period
Industrial
Ref No.
15000255

About this property

Memorial Union is an Italianate Renaissance Revival-style complex built in 1926–28 at the University of Wisconsin–Madison on the south shore of Lake Mendota as a social and recreational gathering place for all students, designed partly to break down socioeconomic barriers. Before Memorial Union, the UW had no union; at its opening in 1928, then-President Glenn Frank said, "The Union is a living room, which converts the university from a house of learning to a home of learning." On the building's north side is the Terrace, a popular outdoor space overlooking the lake. The UW's Union has gained a reputation as one of the most beautiful student centers on a university campus. In 2015, the Union was placed on the National Register of Historic Places, considered significant as an early American college union, which was ground-breaking in supporting ideas of Progressive Era education. It is also considered significant for its association with its first director Porter Butts, who guided the Union's development from 1928 to 1968, and was a thought-leader in college unions.

Location

800 Langdon St.
Madison, Dane County, Wisconsin
43.07412, -89.39965

Categories

EDUCATIONARCHITECTURE
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

Lamb Building
Industrial
0 mi
University Presbyterian Church and Student Center
Industrial
0.1 mi
State Historical Society of Wisconsin
Industrial
0.1 mi
University of Wisconsin Science Hall
Industrial
0.1 mi
Lathrop Hall
Industrial
0.2 mi

Nearby Battles

Wisconsin — Civil War Mutiny — 14th Wisconsin Infantry
1862Civil War
0.1 mi

Questions about this property

When was University of Wisconsin Memorial Union listed on the National Register?

University of Wisconsin Memorial Union was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on May 18, 2015.

What type of historic resource is University of Wisconsin Memorial Union?

University of Wisconsin Memorial Union is classified as a building in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for University of Wisconsin Memorial Union?

The period of significance for University of Wisconsin Memorial Union is recorded as the industrial era.

Can I research the history near University of Wisconsin Memorial Union?

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