North Hall

North Hall is a university building located on the campus of the University of Wisconsin-Madison in Madison. The structure features Victorian architecture made of sandstone, with arched windows and four floors that serve various academic functions.

The building was founded in 1851 as the first structure at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and originally served as a men's residence hall. It marks the beginning of the university's physical development and the campus that grew around it over the following decades.

The building carries the name of its location on the north side of the original campus and has served generations of students and staff over its long existence. Today visitors passing through the area can appreciate how the structure sits within the older part of campus, surrounded by other historic buildings that grew up around it.

The building sits in the historic part of campus and is easily reached on foot from central areas. Keep in mind that this is a working administrative building, so not all areas may be open for public viewing.

During the Civil War in 1865, students were forced to gather wood from nearby forests to heat their rooms with individual stoves. This necessity reflects the challenges the young university faced during that turbulent time.

Location: Wisconsin

GPS coordinates: 43.07568,-89.40296

Latest update: December 14, 2025 11:23