History of the Multi-Ethnic Resource Center (MRC)

The Multi-Ethnic Resource Center, the oldest structure on the campus, was constructed in 1899 as part of a building program instituted shortly after the federal government took over the jurisdiction of the Morris Industrial School for Indians in 1897 from the Sisters of Mercy who had operated the Indian school from 1887 until 1896. Originally constructed as a boys' dormitory, it is the only structure that remains from the 22 years that the campus was utilized as an industrial school for American Indians. Directly across the Mall to the

north there was a twin Girls' Dormitory constructed in 1898. The Multi-Ethnic Resource Center was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1984 because of its significance to the history of Indian education in the state.

The building is a two story, red brick structure on a tall, random ashlar limestone foundation. It was constructed on spread concrete footings with load bearing brick walls and wood floor framing. The original 1899 roof had no overhang, tin shingles and four chimneys. In 1921 this building and its twin Home Economics were redesigned by Clarence Johnston. It now has a hipped roof with wide overhanging eaves, curvilinear rafter tails, and hipped dormers. It is one of only two buildings on the campus that have segmental arched window openings (the other is Community Service's northern blacksmith shop wing). The window openings are filled with 6/6 sash and have Kasota stone sills. The south (rear) facade of the building was the original main facade. The original entrance porch on the south side has been removed and the entrance filled with brick. The current flat roofed entrance porch was added to the north facade in 1921 to match the porches on Girls' Dormitory (Camden Hall) and Spooner Hall and has quatrefoil motifs and brackets at the cornice and a floor of red ceramic tile.

The iron railing has been removed from the porch roof. Two original exterior endwall chimneys from the south facade and two interior chimneys have also been removed above the roof line.

In 1909 the Morris Indian School was discontinued and the federal government gave the lands and buildings to the State of Minnesota for an agricultural school which would be operated, beginning in 1910, by the University of Minnesota as the West Central School of Agriculture. The building and its twin across the Mall were used as dormitories until 1913 when, after the construction of the new Girls' Dormitory (now Camden Hall) and Spooner Hall, they were converted to teaching facilities-- Agronomy and Home Economics. Used as the Agronomy Building until 1920 when the new Agricultural Hall (later Social Science and now John Q. Imholte Hall) was built, it was identified as Music Hall during most of its years of service with the West Central School of Agriculture when it was used for music and business classes.

When, beginning in 1960, the School of Agriculture was converted to the four year liberal arts college -- the University of Minnesota, Morris -- the name Music Hall was retained. During the period from 1960 through 1973, before completion of the Humanities Fine Arts Building, it served as the primary fine arts facility with music practice rooms, an art studio, and even a "little" theatre. Security, custodial services and duplicating were housed in the basement for a time in the 1960s. In 1989, because of its principal use as the headquarters for the campus Minority Student Program (now the Multi-Ethnic Student Program), the building was designated as the Minority Resource Center, while still retaining its historical name "Old Music Hall."  Today, it is known as the Multi-Ethnic Resource Center.

Currently, the building houses the facilities of the Multi-Ethnic Student Program, the campus newspaper,  the Resource Center for Gender and Sexuality, and a special purpose classroom used by the Elementary Education program.

Information found in: "Historic Building of the West Central School of Agriculture Converted to use by the University of Minnesota, Morris in 1960"
by Stephen Granger February 1998 (updated by MSP staff 2006)