College Hall, Wilmington College
Also known as: Founders' Hall
Why it's listed
College Hall is a red brick Italianate building on the Wilmington College campus in Wilmington, Ohio. A four-story tower, 18 feet square, projects from the front, and all windows and doors are arched. Bracketed cornices extend about three feet, and the tile roof is carried on large timbers. The walls are a foot thick and bear the building's weight. Construction began in 1866 for Franklin College, which had moved from New Albany to Wilmington in 1865 and raised subscriptions for a building. Lack of funds stopped completion, and in 1870 the Society of Friends bought the college at auction. The nomination says Wilmington College is the only college ever bought this way. First classes met in the hall in 1871, and the college was chartered in 1875. The architect is unknown because the college lacks Franklin College's records. The hall once held classrooms, a library, a chapel, laboratories and a president's residence. Today all three floors serve as classrooms and offices.
Significance in brief: The nomination cites the building as a good example of the Italianate round-arched type, with good proportions and a pleasant site. It also notes the hall's unique place in Ohio education history, since Wilmington College is described as the only college ever bought at auction.
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 73001399, listed April 23, 1973. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | E of College St. between Douglas St. and Fife Ave. on Wilmington, Wilmington |
|---|---|
| County | Clinton County |
| Listed | April 23, 1973 |
| Reference number | 73001399 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1866-1871 |
| Architectural style | Italianate |
| Areas of significance | Education, Architecture |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Described as in good condition and altered; all three floors are now used for classrooms and offices. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 39.44485, -83.81832 (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 73001399.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikidata Q137617439
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.