Academy Hall was commissioned by the citizens of Edinboro, Pennsylvania
to house the town’s first academy in 1857. However, after the passing
of the Normal School Act in that same year, the town planned to use
Academy Hall as a normal school. Built by regionally prominent master
carpenter, Nathaniel C. Austin, Academy Hall housed the classrooms of
the Northwestern Normal School, which was established in Edinboro in
1861. As the second normal school erected in Pennsylvania, it attracted
potential teachers from Erie County and surrounding areas. The school’s
population grew each year, which led to the expansion of its campus in
1880. Consequently, Academy Hall was moved 200 yards northeast of its
original location, and has since remained at its current site. In 1914,
after being purchased by the state, the school was renamed Edinboro
State Normal School, and by 1927, as the school expanded, it was
renamed Edinboro State Teachers College. Eventually the school
developed programs outside the field of education, becoming Edinboro
State College in 1960. After continuously developing undergraduate and
graduate programs, the school received university status in 1983.
Academy Hall’s six rooms were used as classrooms until 1965 when it
became the college’s alumni office. Prior to this, Academy Hall had
various other names based on the departments who used the classrooms.
Such names were Literary Hall, Commercial Hall, and Music Hall. The
building became vacant in 1996 and sat empty on the edge of Edinboro
University’s campus until 2006 when it underwent extensive renovations.
On November 21, 2006, the structure was placed on the National Register
of Historic Places. Academy Hall now houses the university’s admissions
office.
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