Fernald Hall

UMaine Alert

Posted: April 19, 2024 - 1:32 PM

At approximately 9:24 a.m. on Friday, April 19, a University of Maine graduate student was struck by a university vehicle on Long Road at the University of Maine campus in Orono. The student reports that they are at a local hospital with minor injuries.

Emergency services, including the Orono Fire Department, University Volunteer Ambulance Corps, University of Maine Police Department, Orono Police Department and Penobscot County Sheriff’s Office responded to the scene.

The university vehicle involved in the incident was a Chevrolet Express van. It was being operated by a university employee.

Counseling services and support are available for students, faculty or staff who may have been affected. The Counseling Center can be reached at 207-581-1392 and the Dean of Students Office can be reached at 207-581-1406.

The scene has been cleared and Long Road is now accessible. An investigation is being conducted by the University of Maine Police Department with assistance from the Penobscot County Sheriff’s Office Crash Reconstruction Unit. Any witnesses to the incident are encouraged to contact Lt. Noel Santiago at noel.santiago@maine.edu.

Fernald Hall was the university’s first academic building; construction began in 1868, the year the first students enrolled. Completed in 1870, it is the oldest building in the Historic District. Called “Chemical Hall” when it was first built, Fernald contained classrooms and chemical laboratories, as well as a small library in the basement. Alpheus C. Morse of Providence, Rhode Island, designed the building. Fernald Hall is similar to another classroom building that Morse designed for Brown University, also named Chemical Hall. The bricks used in its construction were manufactured on campus by a local contractor. Students supplied much of the labor to make the bricks and construct the building.

Chemical Hall’s name was changed to Fernald Hall in 1896 in honor of Merritt C. Fernald, the first faculty member and second president of Maine State College. Fernald Hall has, at various times, housed chemical laboratories, classrooms, a bookstore, a library, a chapel and snack bar, as well as faculty offices and the Women’s Resource Center.

Fernald Hall has traces of Ivy Day plaques between the windows on the first story. Ivy Day plaques commemorate Ivy Day, a late 19th century University of Maine tradition. Graduating seniors planted ivy and placed ivy-shaped stone plaques engraved with their year of graduation on buildings.

Fernald Hall has been remodeled a number of times. In 1896, the original one-story ell was destroyed by fire and replaced with a two-story ell. In 1934, two new second-story windows were added to the rear of the building (facing Munson Road), and new granite steps, taken from Lord Hall, were added to the rear entry. In 1968, the main entrance was redirected from west to east (from facing the Stillwater River to facing Munson Road). The original (west) entry door was removed and a window was installed in its place. A new stairwell and entrance were added to the south elevation, and a new service door entrance was added to the north elevation. In 1984, part of Fernald’s slate roof was removed and replaced with a modern membrane roof assembly.

Holmes Hall>