Beecher Hall

Beecher Hall is on the south side of the McGaw Fine Arts Center parking lot. The wayside exhibit is located directly north of Beecher Hall on College Avenue.

Beecher Hall, which was built in 1829-30, is one of the few structures remaining on the Illinois College campus that would have been familiar to New Salem friends of Abraham Lincoln, several of whom, including David Rutledge, William Berry, Harvey Ross, and William and Lynn Greene, attended Illinois College in the 1830s. In its early history, the building contained a classroom, library, chapel, and dormitory. In 1888, Beecher Hall was named after Edward Beecher, the first president of Illinois College.

Location