The Columns | |
 The six Ionic columns in front ofJesse Hall | |
   | |
| Location | Columbia, Missouri |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 38°56′47″N92°19′44″W / 38.946282°N 92.328781°W /38.946282; -92.328781 |
| Built | 1840–1843 |
| Architect | Stephen Hills |
| Architectural style | Classical Revival |
| Part of | Francis Quadrangle Historic District (ID73001036[1]) |
| Added to NRHP | December 18, 1973 |
The Columns are the most recognizable landmark of theUniversity of Missouri inColumbia, Missouri. Standing 43 feet (13 m) tall in the center ofFrancis Quadrangle and at the south end of theAvenue of the Columns, they are the remains of theportico ofAcademic Hall. Along withJesse Hall, they are one of the most photographed sites in Missouri.[2] The Columns have been at the center of many traditions and events including graduations, concerts, pranks, weddings, and protests. Mizzou's school song mentions the columns[3]}. They are a contributing structure to the Francis Quadrangle National Historic District. The columns underwent preservation work in 2017.
Academic Hall was constructed in 1840–1843 as the first building of theUniversity of Missouri and the first public university building west of theMississippi River. Accountant and architectStephen Hills, who also designed the firstMissouri State Capitol Building, designed the hall. The hall's columns were made fromlimestone drums from theHinkson Creek Valley south of the campus.[4] When Academic Hall burned to the ground in 1892, the columns remained standing.
In the next few months after the fire, many people thought that the Columns were an eyesore that blocked the view of the new buildings (Red Campus) being constructed on the Quadrangle. Some worried that they were structurally unsound and a safety hazard. In August 1893, the board of curators issued a resolution that called for the Columns to be demolished "as soon as convenient". A local newspaper reported thatGideon F. Rothwell, the university's president, had ordered two mule teams to pull down and remove the Columns. Jerry S. Dorsey, a leading Columbia citizen, led a protest against their removal, saying that "the Columns could not be pulled down by a herd of elephants". Rothwell replied that the columns were coming down "even if he had to dynamite them."
Dorsey obtained a judicial writ that halted the immediate destruction of the Columns, and an architect said they would be structurally sound. The protest from Columbia citizens and the reassurance that the Columns did not pose a safety hazard led Rothwell and the other curators to have a change of heart in December 1893, and the Columns remained.[5][6]
In 2017, the columns underwent a major preservation effort.[7] In the 2017 fall semester, the university offered a class called "The Geology of the Columns".[8]
At the beginning of the academic year, freshmen participate in Tiger Walk to symbolize their move from the wider community to the university by walking through the columns.[9] Tap Day occurs under the columns, whenthe school's secret societies announce their new members.[10]
A mural of James S. Rollins and the Columns is located in the office of the Missouri Governor in theMissouri State Capitol. They are also featured in a monumental stained-glass window titledMissouri at Peace located in the Missouri House Chamber.[11]
A mural byGeorge Caleb Bingham depicting Academic Hall was destroyed when the same burned. Academic Hall and the Columns are also featured in murals in theBoone County Courthouse and the Columbia Municipal Court.
In John Williams'Stoner from 1965, the columns are described briefly.
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