Rock Island in Rock Island County, Illinois — The American Midwest (Great Lakes)
Old Main, Augustana College
Photographed by Matthew Stevens, October 4, 2026
1. Old Main, Augustana College Marker
placed on the
National Register
of Historic Places
by the United States
Department of the Interior
Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Architecture • Education. In addition, it is included in the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) series list. A significant historical year for this entry is 1884.
Location. 41° 30.271′ N, 90° 32.972′ W. Marker is on Rock Island, Illinois, in Rock Island County. It is on 7th Avenue east of 35th Street, on the right when traveling east. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 3600 7th Ave, Rock Island IL 61201, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is in Northern Illinois and in the Quad Cities. It is also in the American Midwest, in the Corn Belt, and in the Great River Road Region. Globally, it is in North America, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once the territory of the Mississippian Culture and also the Northwest Territory.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers
this page online
Regarding Old Main, Augustana College. Excerpts from the National Register nomination:
Old Main is constructed of buff-colored dolomite from quarries at Le Claire, Iowa, about 15 miles up-stream. The building is l65 feet long, from east to west, and it is 54 feet wide except in a central section which is 66 feet wide. The main entrance is on the north, where broad stone stairways lead to a portico flanked by two l8-foot pillars of polished red granite.
Old Main is the most notable building erected by Swedish immigrants to the United States, and architecturallyit reflects Swedish university traditions.Photographed by Duane and Tracy Marsteller, July 7, 20232. Old Main, Augustana College Marker
When the college moved from Paxton to Rock Island in 1875, the number of Swedish immigrants was still comparatively small and their resources meager. Nevertheless, the college fathers laid plans for a stately and spacious edifice, one which would prove functional and enduring. Fulfillment of their plans required a decade of strenuous effort, and much sacrifice.
Old Main was erected in the decade from 1884 to 1893. Though preliminary plans had been drawn in 1883 by E. S. Hammatt, of Davenport, the final plans were the work of L. G. Hallberg, a Chicago architect. The cornerstone was laid on November 6, 1884
A celebration was planned for 1893 to note the 400th anniversary of the meeting at Uppsala which established Sweden as a Lutheran nation. This celebration provided impetus for completing the building. By June, 1893, the building was ready for occupancy and for the reception of the 20,000 visitors who came from all over the land and abroad to celebrate a jubilee at Augustana.
Also see . . .
1. Old Main, Augustana College (PDF). National Register nomination for the building,
Photographed by Duane and Tracy Marsteller, July 7, 2023
3. Old Main, Augustana College Marker
Marker (partially hidden from view) is left of the main door.
2. Tiny Tours: Old Main. It's been around since 1883. But don't get confused by the name, its state of the art classrooms house a little bit of everything. Old Main is home to Classics, English, philosophy, communication studies, multimedia journalism and mass communication, religion, history, political science, and women's and gender studies. (Augutana College, posted June 30, 2020) (Submitted on August 7, 2023, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee.)
3. The Old Main story: designs, domes and dolomite. Augustana wanted to build a building that was not only useful, but also one that would be "monumental," for the ages, and as beautiful and imposing as possible. (Sarah Horowitz, Augustana College, posted 2010) (Submitted on August 7, 2023, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee.)
4. Augustana College Story - The Old Main Story: Designs, Domes and Dolomite. See this article written for Augustana's sesquicentennial in 2010 that
Unknown via City of Rock Island (Public Domain)
4. Old Main, Augustana College
Complete view of the building.
Excerpt: "In 1884 at the request of the faculty, the Augustana Synod, the governing body of Augustana College and Theological Seminary, authorized plans for a new academic building. A building committee was formed and John Enander, a leading Swedish-American journalist, suggested that the design for the building be based upon that of a new building at the University of Uppsala in Sweden."(Submitted on October 7, 2026, by Matthew Stevens of Washington, Illinois.)
Photographed by Matthew Stevens, October 4, 2026
5. Old Main, Augustana College Marker
Photographed by Matthew Stevens, October 4, 2026
6. Old Main
Credits. This page was last revised on October 9, 2026. It was originally submitted on August 7, 2023, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee. This page has been viewed 221 times since then and 48 times this year. Photos: 1. submitted on October 4, 2026, by Matthew Stevens of Washington, Illinois. 2, 3, 4. submitted on August 7, 2023, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee. 5, 6. submitted on October 4, 2026, by Matthew Stevens of Washington, Illinois.
