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Old Main

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1882, C. B. Lakin

This fits everyone's idea of what a “Victorian” collegiate building should look like, with its tall open tower, narrow upward-thrusting walls and fenestration, and an overall goal of being picturesque. In style it is Queen Anne, with touches here and there of the Romanesque Revival. The realization of the Queen Anne in this brick and stone-trim building is in fact much closer to English examples (Richard Norman Shaw and Philip Webb) than the more typical highly fanciful American versions.

Writing Credits

Author: 
David Gebhard and Gerald Mansheim
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Data

What's Nearby

Drake University
Cartwright Hall
Harmon Fine Arts Center
Cowles Library
Medbury Hall / Scott Chapel

Citation

David Gebhard and Gerald Mansheim, "Old Main", [Des Moines, Iowa], SAH Archipedia, eds. Gabrielle Esperdy and Karen Kingsley, Charlottesville: UVaP, 2012—, http://sah-archipedia.org/buildings/IA-01-CE198.1.

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