By Christine Lorraine Morgan ~ Nov. 9, 2024

This massive English Gothic structure, the Old Main building, is said to be the heart of the Mercyhurst campus. Upon its completion in 1926 the building totaled over 63,000 square feet.

Visible to the left in both images is O’Neil Tower, the four-story tower through which students, faculty and visitors gain entrance to the oldest building on campus.

“The tower was initially designed to reach an impressive height of 170 feet, at least six stories high,” according to https://www.mercyhurst.edu/archives/history-oneil-tower. “

These plans, drawn up by architect Ferdinand Durang, the designer of Old Main, proved impractical. A six-story tower would be more costly and would be vulnerable to bad weather. Instead, the Sisters opted for a four-story design created by local architect Walter Monahan. Ground was broken for the project in 1932, and it was completed the following year – not even a decade after the opening of the college.”

Top image was captured on Nov. 7, 2024, bottom is a postcard from around the 1930s.

The Old Main building on Mercyhurst University’s campus was built in 1926 with over 63,000 square feet of space. The university has grown to the point where it’s nearly impossible to fit the entire building into one photograph, compared to the way it looked in the postcard below from the 1930s. Image capture Nov. 8, 2024

Mercyhurst University’s Old Main Building was the first structure raised on the campus of Mercyhurst University in 1926. This postcard is from the 1930s.