College Hall
Also known as: University Hall
Why it's listed
College Hall is a three-story Victorian Gothic building on the Heidelberg College campus in Tiffin, Ohio, constructed between 1884 and 1886. Designed by Peters and Burns and built by Chamberlin and King, it has brick bearing walls on a rock-faced ashlar foundation and a slate mansard roof. A central tower with gable dormers, finials and an arched main entrance marks the front facade. Inside are a well with skylight, Rickly Chapel, and a triple stained-glass window honoring three ministers of the Winters family. The cornerstone reads "Heidelberg College, Founded 1850, Rebuilt 1885." It was the college's third building and the second used for classes, paid for by the Reformed Church and Tiffin citizens. A bell in the tower came from the second Seneca County Court House, which stood from 1841 to 1884. The building still houses offices, classrooms, society halls and the chapel, and it was listed as part of a group showing the campus's growth.
Significance in brief: It was the third college building and the second used for classes, built with money raised by the Reformed Church and the citizens of Tiffin. It was nominated as part of a thematic group of Heidelberg College buildings showing the institution's growth and its architectural development through a variety of styles.
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 79002778, listed February 12, 1979. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 310 E. Market St., Tiffin |
|---|---|
| County | Seneca County |
| Listed | February 12, 1979 |
| Reference number | 79002778 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1884-1886 |
| Architect / builder | Architect: Peters and Burns; builder: Chamberlin and King |
| Architectural style | Victorian Gothic |
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | In use for administration offices, classrooms, men's society halls and Rickly Chapel; condition listed as fair inside and deteriorating outside. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 41.11635, -83.16766 (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 79002778.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikidata Q138673387
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.