Western State Normal School, North Hall, Western Michigan University, bounded by Stadium, Oliver and Davis streets, Kalamazoo, Kalamazoo County, MI

Significance: North Hall (1925) is the third of the four buildings that were built on the Prospect Hill, the original campus of the Western Normal School (the present-day Western Michigan University). It was designed by the architectural firm of Turner & Thebaud. It was originally built as the school's main library, and as such, was a center of student academic life on campus until a new library was built in 1958. Architecturally, the building was originally characterized by a dramatic two-story reading room with a monumental fireplace on its north wall. The room provided dramatic views of Kalamazoo. In addition the building featured elegant interior detailing in the reading room, entry lobby and corridors, in contrast to the very restrained decoration in other east campus structures.
Unprocessed Field note material exists for this structure: N2051
Survey number: HABS MI-448-B
Building/structure dates: 1925 Initial Construction
Building/structure dates: after 1958 Subsequent Work
National Register of Historic Places NRIS Number: 90001230