A Jewel In The City

Doesn't it seem like there's an Old Main on every campus? My college had one. This Old Main was the first building constructed on the University of Arizona campus in Tucson, Arizona.

Construction of Old Main began in 1887 (AZ didn't become a state until 1912), but the money ran out before the roof was finished. A Federal loan paid for the roof, and the building was completed and opened in 1891. There were only 32 students that year and they dormed right in the building.

Old Main was abandoned in 1938 and condemned. Demolition was averted when the US Navy repaired the building in 1942, for use as a Naval Indoctrination Training School during World War II. The Navy then paid $20,000 in 1945 to turn it back into a functioning campus building.

It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1972. Old Main was most recently restored and renovated in 2006-2008 at a cost of $4.6 million.

This was my first visit to the U of A. It's a stunningly beautiful campus, right in the heart of the city. You would never know it was was there. I was on campus for the AZ Democratic Presidential caucus. That took all of fifteen minutes, so I had a little time to explore. :-)

I love this photo. When I looked at it on my wide screen monitor, it was so crisp that the the trees and light almost gave it a 3-D effect. I don't know if that will come across here.
Try it in large and see what you think.

PS I didn't have a virus yesterday. Just some incompatible software. I fixed it myself.