Manasseh Cutler Hall, Ohio University
Also known as: College Edifice
Why it's listed
Manasseh Cutler Hall is a three-story Federal building with a gabled roof and a wooden cupola, standing on the Ohio University campus in Athens. Construction began in 1816 and finished in 1819 at a cost of $17,806. Originally called the College Edifice, then the Center College, it was later named for Manasseh Cutler, the New England minister, physician and botanist who wrote the university's charter. It is described as the oldest college building in the old Northwest Territory. Early on it served as a dormitory with some laboratory rooms and held the president's office, occupied by William Holmes McGuffey from 1839 to 1843. A remodeling in 1882 raised the roofline three feet. Classes ended in 1937, when the building was declared unsafe for such use, and the interior was modernized with concrete, metal stairs and an elevator. In 1949 the roofline was returned to its original level, so the exterior appears much as first built. It now houses university administrative offices.
Significance in brief: The nomination holds that it is the oldest college building in the old Northwest Territory. It is named for Manasseh Cutler, who wrote the university's charter, and it housed the president's office, including that of William Holmes McGuffey (1839-43). It was later modernized and its exterior restored to its original appearance.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 66000604, listed October 15, 1966. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | Ohio University campus, Athens |
|---|---|
| County | Athens County |
| Listed | October 15, 1966 |
| Reference number | 66000604 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1800-1899 |
| Architectural style | Federal |
| Areas of significance | Education |
| Level of significance | National |
| National Historic Landmark | Yes, designated December 21, 1965 |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Occupied and in good condition; used as the university's administration building and maintained by the university. |
| Acreage | 10 |
| Within district | Ohio University Campus Green Historic District |
| Coordinates | 39.32614, -82.10038 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
For a publicly owned building or structure, listing mainly matters when federal funds, permits or licences are involved: projects then go through Section 106 review so effects on the property are considered. Listing also strengthens applications for preservation grants and, for leased income-producing uses, can enable the federal rehabilitation tax credit.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 66000604.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q6747025
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.