Old Main, constructed in 1907-1908, is a historic building at Minot State University-Bottineau

Minot State University-Bottineau

Dakota College at Bottineau is a two-year public institution of higher education in Bottineau, North Dakota.Founded in 1906 as a forestry school, today DCB offers associate's degrees in Business, Computer Technology/Information Technology, Natural Resources, Medical/Allied Health, and Education...

, a two-year college in Bottineau, North Dakota

Bottineau, North Dakota

As of the census of 2000, there were 2,336 people, 979 households, and 550 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,230.0 people per square mile . There were 1,114 housing units at an average density of 1,063.4 per square mile...

. The building previously housed the North Dakota School of Forestry. The building is listed in the National Register of Historic Places

National Register of Historic Places

The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...

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History

In 1889, the North Dakota legislature desired to build a forestry school. Bottineau was chosen as the location in 1894. The state legislative assembly raised $25,000 in 1907, then commissioned architect Joseph Shannon for the building, completed in 1908. The school was constructed in the Romanesque Revival style. The school's campus expanded over the years, but the original building kept its nickname of Old Main.

Current status

A new addition has been constructed at Minot State University-Bottineau and Old Main will be left vacant. People at the college are looking at ways to maintain the building and put it to a new use. It will be left vacant and minimally heated after faculty have moved into the new addition in August 2007. The building is considered endangered by Preservation North Dakota.