University of Minnesota Morris - History

History

Although UMM officially opened its doors in 1960, the history of what became the current institution reaches back further. In the 1887, the Morris Industrial School for Indians, an American Indian boarding school, was formed on the site and run by the Roman Catholic Church and later the US government. The school closed in 1909 and the campus was transferred to the State of Minnesota under the agreement that American Indians would always be admitted free of tuition, the current UMM still follows this agreed policy. In 1910, the University of Minnesota (at the time only the Twin Cities campus), established a boarding school on the campus called the West Central School of Agriculture. In the 1950s, the University of Minnesota began phasing out its regional agricultural school and the people of the Morris region were able to convince the school to develop the campus into a liberal arts college. The current UMM opened in September 1960.

Several historic buildings of the West Central School of Agriculture and Experiment Station are listed in the National Register of Historic Places. The Minority Resource Center, the oldest building on campus, dates back to 1899. It was previously the Music Hall of the West Central School of Agriculture, and the boys' dormitory of the Morris Industrial School for Indians. Camden Hall, Spooner Hall, the Horse Barn, Welcome Center, Behmler Hall, Blakely Hall, Imholte Hall, Education Building, Pine Hall, and the Recycling Center all contribute to the Register. Most of these buildings were designed by Clarence H. Johnston Sr. in the Craftsman and Prairie School style.