MU plans to move cornerstone from campus' first building
Work to move the cornerstone of Academic Hall, the first building erected on campus, from the university gate north of Francis Quadrangle to Jesse Hall began Monday.
Other than the cornerstone, the columns on Francis Quadrangle are all that’s left of the spot once occupied by Academic Hall, built in 1840 and burned to the ground in 1892. The stone was originally laid when construction on the building began in 1840, making it older than the columns.
Workers from MU Campus Facilities plan to move the cornerstone to the first floor of Jesse Hall, where it will feature information about Academic Hall, the fire and the columns, MU Director of Development Tom Schultz said.
Schultz said the move will cost about $30,000 and will come entirely from private donations.
“The cornerstone is a very important part of our university’s history,” Schultz said in an MU news release. “We want to make sure we preserve it for future generations. Now, with the help of some very generous donations, it will be restored and become the centerpiece of an educational display showcasing MU’s history.”
The display’s design will be chosen from a contest for students in the architectural studies program in the College of Human Environmental Sciences.
The stone has resided at the bottom of the north gate into the university since 1915, according to the news release. MU Campus Facilities expects to finish the move by the spring, and the university plans to hold a formal dedication in the fall.