Urbana Illinois University College Hall Homecoming 1910 Real Photo Postcard
Altgeld Hall, completed in 1897, originally served as Library Hall for the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. Its prominent entrance bears the university's motto, "Learning & Labor," a phrase adopted in 1867 that encapsulated the institution's commitment to both academic and vocational education, reflecting the land-grant university mission of combining practical training with classical studies.
Designed in the Romanesque Revival style, Altgeld Hall reflects the architectural grandeur favored by American universities during a period of significant growth and public investment in higher education. After the main library moved in 1929, the building was renamed in honor of former Illinois Governor John Peter Altgeld and repurposed, continuing its role as a central academic facility for mathematics and music departments, standing as an enduring symbol of the university's historical foundations.
Designed in the Romanesque Revival style, Altgeld Hall reflects the architectural grandeur favored by American universities during a period of significant growth and public investment in higher education. After the main library moved in 1929, the building was renamed in honor of former Illinois Governor John Peter Altgeld and repurposed, continuing its role as a central academic facility for mathematics and music departments, standing as an enduring symbol of the university's historical foundations.
