Milton College in Milton, Wisconsin
When Milton College finally closed its doors in 1982, it was the oldest institution of higher education in Wisconsin, beating the University of Wisconsin by four years. The college was originally called Du Lac Academy when it was founded in 1844. Main Hall and Goodrich Hall (the original dorm) – built in 1855 and 1857, respectively – are still standing. Milton College was ahead of its time in…
Milton College, established in 1844 as Du Lac Academy, was the oldest higher education institution in Wisconsin until it closed in 1982. Originally coeducational from its inception, it outpaced the University of Wisconsin in admitting women by four years, with the latter only gaining full coeducational status in the 1870s. The college saw a peak enrollment of over 800 students in the late 1960s, prompting the addition of new buildings such as more dormitories, a library, a student center, and an athletic facility, bringing the total to thirteen.
Despite additions, most of the original structures remain, now repurposed; Main Hall is managed by the Main Hall Preservation Society and the library serves as the Milton Public Library. Financial struggles led to Milton College's accreditation loss and subsequent closure, primarily due to its reliance on tuition income and lack of a substantial endowment, compounded by enrollment declines in the 1970s and 1980s.
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