Hanover’s quadrangle named to National Register of Historic Places
Hanover College’s campus quadrangle has earned its place on the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP). Authorized by the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966, distinction is part of a national program to coordinate and support public and private efforts to identify, evaluate and protect America’s historic and archeological resources.
Administered by the National Park Service, the registry is the official list of the nation’s historic places worthy of preservation and includes nearly 100,000 properties nationwide. Eligibility for the designation includes such criteria as age, significance and integrity. Properties must be at least 50 years old, maintain their historic appearance and be associated with events and activities that were important in the past, among others.
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Officially recognized as a historic district, the 41-acre section of campus – known simply as “the quad” by generations of Hanoverians – was initially designed by renowned campus architect J. Frederick Larson, who was hired by then-President Albert Parker, Jr. Larson had gained an international reputation through his 1933 book, “Architectural Planning for the American College,” and his previous designs for U.S. colleges including Dartmouth College, Princeton University and Wake Forest University.
The designated area reflects the 1936 campus plan proposed by Larson. The district’s boundaries begin at the west entrance, where Ball Drive and College Avenue converge, and travel east along College Avenue past the Long Administration Building, Classic Hall and Hendricks Hall to the Point. From the Point, the designated area continues to Young Street, by Parker Auditorium and the Science Center, and onto Prospect Drive, which travels west past Faculty Office Building, Lynn Hall and Crowe Hall. The boundary crosses Morse Lane to include Blythe Hall, then shifts to the south to join Ball Drive before reconnecting with College Avenue at the west entrance.
The architectural study to support the recognition process was funded by a gift from Mark Nichols ’74 and Cheri Griffith Nichols ’74. Ultimately, all of the recognized buildings were constructed between 1857-1974, with most having an architectural classification of late 19th- and 20th-century Georgian Revival – as originally proposed by Larson. Each edifice is constructed of brick and limestone, features Georgian-inspired elements and sits within Larson’s circulation plan, which established an uncommon standard of appearance for an Indiana college campus at that time.
Hanover’s NRHP designation includes 23 buildings, with eight designed by Larson, ranging from classrooms and laboratories to residential, administrative and recreational facilities. Acknowledged structures in the College’s historic district include: Katharine Parker Hall, Ide Hall, Donner Hall, Long Administration Building, Brown Memorial Chapel, President’s Home, Classic Hall, Hendricks Hall, Parker Auditorium, Goodrich Hall, Science Hall, J. Graham Brown Campus Center, Faculty Office Building, Lynn Hall, Crowe Hall, Administrative Computing Center, Admission and Financial Aid Building, Blythe Hall, Newby Hall, Chi Omega Sorority, Alpha Delta Pi Sorority, Phu Mu Sorority and Kappa Alpha Theta Sorority.
NHRP deemed “the Point” and a 100-year-old gazebo in the district as noteworthy. “The Point” is a pastoral area that offers a dramatic view from high above the Ohio River valley. Near its precipice are the steps and landing to the original Classic Hall, which burned Dec. 19, 1941. Sitting adjacent to “the Point,” the round gazebo was built in 1921. The one-time wishing well transitioned to a drinking fountain decades ago.
In Indiana, designated properties are administered by the Hoosier State’s Department of Natural Resources. Hanover’s official state and national register certificates will be presented during a still-to-be-announced ceremony at the 2025 Indiana State Fair. The fair is scheduled for August 1-17 at the Indiana State Fair Grounds in Indianapolis.
