Beecher Hall, building at Illinois College, Jacksonville, Illinois
Beecher Hall is a two-story brick building on the Illinois College campus in Jacksonville built between 1829 and 1830. The structure follows Federal style architecture and shows evidence of its phased construction, with the south section completed first and the north section finished the following year.
Beecher Hall was constructed by local builder James Kerr for Illinois College and initially served as a dormitory, library, and classroom. From 1843 to 1848, the building housed Illinois' first medical school, and it became a center of antislavery activity by sheltering people through the Underground Railroad.
Beecher Hall is named after Edward Beecher, the first president of Illinois College, who championed the abolition of slavery. The building reflects the values of the early academic community, which actively supported freedom and equality through involvement with the Underground Railroad.
The building sits in a central location on campus and is easy to find while walking through the grounds. Visitors can explore the exterior and observe historical features like the brickwork and window placement that reflect early 19th-century construction methods.
A remarkable detail is that the upper floors have been continuously occupied by Sigma Pi and Phi Alpha, two literary societies, since the 1800s. This ongoing student use makes Beecher Hall a rare example of a historic building still serving its original purpose today.
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