The Columns (Columbia, Missouri)
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The Columns
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The six Ionic columns in front of Jesse Hall
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| Location | Columbia, Missouri |
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| Coordinates | 38°56′47″N 92°19′44″W / 38.946282°N 92.328781°WCoordinates: 38°56′47″N 92°19′44″W / 38.946282°N 92.328781°W |
| Built | 1840-1843 |
| Architect | Stephen Hills |
| Architectural style | Classical Revival |
| Part of | Francis Quadrangle Historic District (#73001036) |
| Added to NRHP | December 18, 1973 |
The Columns are the most recognized landmark of the University of Missouri in Columbia, Missouri. Standing forty-three feet tall in the center of Francis Quadrangle and at the south end of the Avenue of the Columns they are the remains of the portico of Academic Hall. Along with Jesse Hall they are one of the most photographed sites in Missouri. The Columns have been the center of numerous traditions and events including graduations, concerts, pranks, weddings, and protests. They are mentioned in Mizzou's school song and have been the setting for works of fiction. They are a contributing structure to the Francis Quadrangle National Historic District. The columns underwent preservation in 2017.
Academic Hall was constructed in 1840-1843 as the first building of the University of Missouri and the first public university building west of the Mississippi River. They were designed by accountant and architect Stephen Hills, who also designed the first Missouri State Capitol Building. They were made out of limestone drums from the Hinkson Creek Valley south of campus.
When Academic Hall burned in 1892 the columns remained standing. In the next few months after the fire, many thought of the Columns as an eyesore that blocked the view of the new buildings (Red Campus) being constructed on the Quadrangle. Some even feared that they were structurally unsound and a safety hazard. In August 1893, the Board of Curators issued a resolution that called for the Columns to be demolished "as soon as convenient." A local paper reported that Gideon F. Rothwell had ordered two mule teams to tear down and haul off the Columns. A leading Columbia citizen by the name of Jerry S. Dorsey led a protest against their removal, and stated "the Columns could not be pulled down by a herd of elephants." Rothwell announced that they were coming down even if he had to dynamite them. Dorsey obtained a judicial writ that delayed the destruction of the Columns, and an architect soon declared that they would be structurally sound. The protest from Columbia citizens and the reassurance that the Columns did not pose a safety hazard led Rothwell and the other curators to have a change of heart in December 1893, and the Columns would remain.
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