{"nrhp_refnum":"78002382","name":"Ruter Hall","other_names":[],"category":"building","location":{"address":"N. Main St. on Allegheny College campus","address_restricted":false,"city":"Meadville","county":"Crawford County","state":"PA","lat":41.648287872000026,"lon":-80.14622211399995,"geom_source":"nps_gis"},"listed_date":"1978-09-18","is_nhl":false,"nhl_designated_date":null,"areas_of_significance":["Education","Architecture"],"significance_levels":["local"],"summary":{"what_it_is":"Ruter Hall is a three-story brick building on the campus of Allegheny College in Meadville, Crawford County, Pennsylvania. It measures 50 by 90 feet and was constructed in 1853 on a stone foundation.","why_significant":"The nomination argues that the building is a pure example of Greek Revival architecture, with a form resembling a Greek temple and classical proportions. It was the college's second building, erected during the Methodist period of the college's history, and is linked to Reverend Martin Ruter, the college's second president, for whom it was named.","narrative":"Ruter Hall is a three-story brick building on a stone foundation at Allegheny College in Meadville, Pennsylvania, completed in 1853. Measuring 50 by 90 feet, it has a low gable roof, a plain pediment with a wide cornice, nine-over-nine windows set in stone lintels and sills, and a classical doorway flanked by square pilasters. Its plan follows the form of a Greek temple, and it is regarded as a purer example of Greek Revival design than the earlier Bentley Hall. Its austere detailing reflects the limited funds available to the college after the Methodists assumed sponsorship in 1833. The building is named for Reverend Martin Ruter, the college's second president, who led the Manual Labor Plan that drew students of modest means to Meadville. Ruter later left to found a college in Texas, which became the ancestor of Southwestern University.","period_of_significance":null,"architect_builder":null,"architectural_style":"Greek Revival","criteria":[],"status_note":null,"vacant_flag":null,"machine_generated":true,"model":"claude-haiku-5-5","prompt_version":"v1.1-2026-10-29","generated_at":"2026-10-29 17:11:30.786514-05","source_pdf":"https://s3.amazonaws.com/NARAprodstorage/lz/electronic-records/rg-079/NPS_PA/78002382.pdf"},"photo":{"url_800":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/media/78002382/1bd0519421-800.webp","url_1600":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/media/78002382/1bd0519421-1600.webp","licence":"Public domain","author":"Nyttend","credit_html":"<a href=\"https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Ruter_Hall,_Allegheny_College.jpg\" rel=\"noopener\">Nyttend</a>, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons","source_page":"https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Ruter_Hall,_Allegheny_College.jpg"},"district":null,"sources":{"nps_snapshot_date":"2026-05-22","nara_catalog":"https://catalog.archives.gov/id/71996446","wikipedia":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ruter_Hall","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q7382770"},"indexable":true,"url":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/pennsylvania/crawford-county/ruter-hall-78002382/"}