Main Building
Main Building is the largest building on the Vassar campus, and one of the oldest. Built from 1861 to 1865, construction was slowed by the outbreak of the Civil War. The building was modeled after the Tuileries Palace in Paris from the 1500s.[1] It originally house the entire school, including classrooms, dorms, offices and faculty housing, leading it to be called The College early on.
In modern times, Main is no longer used for classes. The second to fifth floors are Main House, a dormitory, while the first and second floors are used for administrative offices. In 1872 the annex at the back was expanded, though much of this burned down in 1918. In 1893 the Fredrick Ferris Thompson Annex was added to the front of the building to expand the library. This was removed in 1959. In 1974, the annex was largely removed and the College Center was constructed as a modern addition to the building.[1]
History
At the time of its completion in 1865, Main Building was the largest building in the United States. It held this title until the completion of the United States Capitol Building on 1868.[1]