Constructed before Arizona achieved statehood, Old Mainrepresents a rich tradition for Arizona State University and the state. Old Main has been refurbished to period standards, and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It is now home to the ASU Alumni Association.
Originally dedicated February 4, 1898, it was the first building in Tempe wired for electric lighting. President Teddy Roosevelt dedicated the Roosevelt Dam from the front stairway in 1911.
Murals by Joseph M. Henninger, entitled "Spanish Influence in Arizona" and "Industrial Development in Arizona," are now displayed in Old Main. Both 1930s murals were originally commissioned for Matthews Library as part of a Franklin D. Roosevelt New Deal art project. To learn more about the murals, visit the Herberger Institute for Design and the ArtsPublic Art website.
Street Address
400 E. Tyler Mall
Tempe, AZ 85281