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Historic black-and-white photograph of a large two-story brick building with wraparound porches and corner towers. A horse-drawn carriage and several people stand outside the structure in a sparsely landscaped area under a clear sky.

Old Main

Completed in 1891 using locally quarried red brick, the first — and signature — building on the University of Arizona campus has served many functions over the years, including as a classroom and dormitory, a Naval training school during World War II, and, after an award-winning rehabilitation in 2013, the Office of the President. The hitching posts aren’t there anymore, but Old Main still tells a story.

The Beginning

Forty acres of land owned by two professional gamblers and a saloon owner became the site of the University of Arizona in 1886. A year later, ground was broken for the first — and only — building present on campus when the school opened in 1891. Classrooms, offices, laboratories, a kitchen and mess hall, a photography dark room, and dorms for the 32 students and six faculty members were all in Old Main. According to the Arizona Daily Star, Phoenix architect James Miller Creighton was paid $500 to design Old Main. The building featured high ceilings and shaded porches to fight Tucson’s high temperatures.
 

Historic black-and-white photograph of a large two-story university building with wraparound porches and a central tower. A dirt road leads to the front entrance, with cultivated fields surrounding the structure and the words “UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA” visible near the lower left corner of the image.
Historic black-and-white photograph showing a crowd gathered around a decorative fountain on a university campus. Trees, landscaped walkways and a large building appear in the background, while handwritten text along the bottom identifies the scene as a memorial fountain.

A Fountain in Memory

Just west of the Old Main steps is the Alexander Berger Memorial Fountain, a popular spot for graduation photos. On Jan. 31, 1920, the fountain was dedicated. Students, faculty, townspeople, and military came out to honor the University’s World War I dead, including Berger’s nephew. 

A historic black-and-white image of the U of A's Old Main building in 1899. A dirt road leading up to the building is visible. There are open fields next to the building.

Decline and Rescue

By 1938, Old Main was abandoned and condemned. In 1942, the U.S. Navy repaired Old Main and used it for a training school during World War II. It was turned back into a campus building by the Navy in 1945 at a cost of $20,000. 

Old Main building on the UArizona campus

Modern Old Main

Today, Old Main houses administrative offices, including the office of the president. It also serves as a central hub for campus tours and events, the symbolic heart of the university, our traditions and our work.

TRADITIONS

HOMECOMING