Historical Images of Porter County

The Old College Building
Valparaiso, Indiana

Date: 1873
Source Type: Photograph
Publisher, Printer, Photographer: Elmer E. Starr
Postmark: Not Applicable
Collection: Steven R. Shook
Remark: This and six small dwelling houses were all the buildings on College Hill (practically the Fourth Ward of the city) in 1873, when the school was established. The entire ward is now covered with College Buildings, Dormitories and hundreds of private residences, all used by the school.

Founded by the Methodist Church, the Valparaiso Male and Female College operated between 1859 to 1871. It was one of the first four year coeducational institutions to operate in the United States. The college went defunct in 1871 and was closed for approximately two years, reopening in 1873 as the Northern Indiana Normal School and Business Institute. The original large brick structure consisted of the west portion of the building (right side of building in the image below). The tower and the east wing were erected in 1867. The structure shown here, with several additions, was destroyed on February 15, 1923, by a fire originating from an overheated stove.

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