About

1905

2006

Address: 731 21^st Avenue South

Neighborhood: Cedar Riverside

Construction Date: 1901

Contractor: C.F. Haglin

Architect: Dedrik A. Omeyer, Martin P. Thori

Architectural Style: Renaissance Revival

Historic Use: Public - Education

Current Use: Public - Education

Date of Local Designation: 1984

Date of National Register Designation: 1983

Area(s) of Significance: Education, Architecture

Period of Significance: 1900-

Historic Profile: Built in 1901 for $35,000, the Augsburg Old Main solidified the seminary as a viable educational institution within Minneapolis. Designed by Saint Paul architectural firm Omeyer and Thori, the large symmetrical building creates a feeling of harmony and simplicity characteristic of the classical architectural style.

After the dedication in 1902, the "New Main" became the center of campus and community activity, housing a chapel, gymnasium, classrooms, library and museum. The "New Main" has withstood the test of time and today has become Old Main, the oldest building on the Augsburg campus. The building remains virtually unaltered from its original design and is a source of pride shared by the college and the surrounding community. It has never lost its architectural integrity, its historical integrity or its educational integrity as a center for campus activity.

Photo Credits:

1905, Sweet, courtesy of The Minnesota Historical Society

2006, Minneapolis CPED

Works Cited:

"National Register of Historic Places – Nomination Form," January 1982.

Updated: February 2007