Old College Hall Museum

Old College Hall was built in 1850 as Pacific’s first university building. Today, it is one of the oldest educational buildings still in use west of the Mississippi River.

The hall has been moved three times and now stands on the southwest corner of the Forest Grove Campus.

The cupola, or bell tower, has become a symbol of the university’s history, and the old bell still rings to commemorate special events. Students ring the bell one by one during Sign, Shake and Ring (pdf) at the beginning of their academic careers, and again upon graduation. The bell also tolls for each alumnus who dies.

The second floor of Old College Hall has been converted into a museum for the university. The museum features a collection of artifacts from the history of the school and the Forest Grove region. 

The museum is not regularly open to the public. Occasional open house days are communicated via the Pacific University calendar. Private tours for research purposes may be arranged by contacting Martha Calus-McLain '03 at 503-352-2057 or martha@pacificu.edu.