The presidency of George E. MacLean (1899–1911) saw the University of Iowa’s most expansive growth to date. MacLean Hall was the third of four buildings erected to anchor the four corners of today's Pentacrest. Its cornerstone was laid in 1910 and over the years MacLean Hall has been the home of Physics, Astronomy, Mathematics, Statistics & Actuarial Sciences, an astronomical observatory, and even some the university's art studios. The predecessor of today's radio station WSUI was first set up in MacLean Hall. Today, MacLean Hall is the home of the Departments of Mathematics and Computer Science.
George E. MacLean
1850 - 1938
Achievements
- Eighth president of the University of Iowa, from 1899-1911
- MacLean received his A.B. at Williams College and, in 1874, his B.D. degree from the Yale Divinity School. After several years in the ministry, he studied at the universities of Leipzig and Berlin, receiving his Ph.D. degree at Leipzig in 1883
- After serving 12 years as a member of the faculty at the University of Minnesota, he became chancellor of the University of Nebraska in 1897 before arriving in Iowa City two years later
- New colleges were organized at Iowa during MacLean’s administration, including the College of Applied Science (later renamed Engineering), the College of Education, and the Graduate College.
- Under MacLean's leadership, the University of Iowa moved to the forefront of America’s public universities and the university received high rank for the first time in a 1911 survey of the nation’s universities conducted by the U.S. Bureau of Education
Building Information
Street Address
2 West Washington Street
Year built
1912
Additional building information