Wikipedia

Draft:Hill Memorial Building (Ohio Northern University)

Hill Memorial Building
The building facing southwest.
Map
General information
LocationAda, Ohio
AddressW University Ave
Coordinates40°45′58.9104″N 83°49′26.5791″W / 40.766364000°N 83.824049750°W / 40.766364000; -83.824049750
Completed1879
Closed2024
OwnerOhio Northern University

Hill Memorial Building is a historic building of the Ohio Northern University campus in Ada, Ohio. The building was finished in 1879[1][2][3] and is the second ever built on the campus[4] The structure initially held administrative offices and classrooms, though many University departments would enter and leave the building throughout its history. The building is the oldest on campus and one of the oldest standing structures in Ada.

History

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The building has had continued issues with fire damage over the one hundred and forty five years since it was completed. In 1889[5] a barrel of oil used to replenish lamps was ignited, and caused smoke and water damage. Again in 1913, the building was gutted entirely by a fire. Hill would close for eleven months while it was rebuilt. In 1922[6] a steam power plant was built behind the building, which provided heat directly to the rest of campus.

By 1929, the building housed the administrative offices for the College of Liberal Arts, as well as Alumni Relations and the local YMCA by 1931. In 1936, the College of Engineering moved into Hill, and occupied it until 1953 when it moved to a building formerly used by the local Ada High School. In 1970, the History and Political Science departments moved into the building. They would occupy Hill until the closing of the building in 2024.[1]

2024 Closure

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In July 2024, the administration of Ohio Northern announced the closure of Hill Building[7][8]. Citing age and a need of expansive repairs, the building was closed to the students and faculty. Classes and offices were temporarily relocated to the neighboring Dukes Hall while the administration worked to create a plan on how to progress at the site. University Alumni created a Change.org petition to try and save the building amassing more than six-hundred signatures[9]. As of 2024, there is no definitive public plan for the future of the building.

References

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  1. ^ a b Francis, Matthew. "LibGuides: Campus Buildings: Hill Building". library.onu.edu. Retrieved 2024-08-02.
  2. ^ Francis, Matthew. "LibGuides: Campus Buildings: Huber Memorial". library.onu.edu. Retrieved 2024-08-02.
  3. ^ "Campus Map". Ohio Northern University. Retrieved 2024-08-02.
  4. ^ History Connection, Ohio. "Remarkable Ohio: Ohio Northern University". Ohio History Connection. Retrieved 2024-08-02.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  5. ^ "Hill Memorial Building". Clio. Retrieved 2024-08-02.
  6. ^ Student, Ashley Sallee ONU (2024-08-01). "History of Hill Memorial". AdaHerald.com. Retrieved 2024-08-02.
  7. ^ "Ohio Northern statement on the closing of Hill Memorial". Ada Icon. Retrieved 2024-08-02.
  8. ^ Student, Ashley Sallee ONU (2024-08-01). "History of Hill Memorial". AdaHerald.com. Retrieved 2024-08-02.
  9. ^ says, Hill Memorial as a Campus Icon-Northern Review (2022-10-28). "Should We Tear Down Hill Memorial?". Northern Review. Retrieved 2024-08-02.
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