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A historic image of Old Main on the University of Arizona campus. Students are seen standing in standing away from the building.

Old Main

Finished in 1891 using locally quarried red brick, the first — and signature — building on the U of A 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.

An image of the front Old Main on a sunny day. Red flowers are seen in the foreground.

Construction of Old Main began in late 1887, nearly 25 years before Arizona statehood, on land given to the Arizona Territory by the Morrill Act, which for the establishment of “land-grant” universities. At the time, Tucson’s population was about 700. Doors opened in 1891, with six faculty teaching 32 students.

A historic black-and-white of University of Arizona students and faculty inside the original Old Main building on the University of Arizona campus.

Built using red brick made with clay dug up and fired on site, Old Main is a classic example of U of A architecture. It was designed by Roy Place, who designed several other campus landmarks including the Steward Observatory and Centennial Hall, as well as many historically significant buildings across Tucson, including the Pima County Courthouse.

A photo of Old Main lit up at nighttime. The fountain is seen in the foreground.

An award-winning renovation in 2013 transformed Old Main into the Office of the President, demonstrating the U of A’s aspiration to meaningfully adapt campus’s historic buildings for modern use, bridging the traditions of the past with the needs of the present.

TRADITIONS

HOMECOMING