Uncovering the history of MSU’s ‘Sacred Space’

“Sacred Spaces,” the subtitle of the new “Tales from the Archives” book published by the Michigan State University Archives and Historical Collections, may confuse some readers. The phrase has nothing to do with religion but rather refers to the open space surrounding where Beaumont Tower came to sit at MSU. It was a design concept of the 19th century: Early landscape architects and college presidents decided that the center of campuses should be preserved as open space, creating a natural, almost park-like atmosphere. It was sacred, and therefore no new construction would be allowed. 

Today, that space at MSU is still pretty much preserved, allowing for a meditative, quiet place to stroll between classes and relax among towering trees. It is almost sublime in nature and continues to create pleasant memories for the hundreds of thousands of students and alumni who pass the space between classes or stop to kiss a date under Beaumont Tower. The older buildings that surround the area help define it from the rest of campus, creating a town square where no automobiles are allowed. 

That’s not to say the area has always been a quiet place. As early as 1907, it was used to gather students for a memorable graduation featuring an address from President Theodore Roosevelt. In the tumultuous 1960s and beyond, it was the stepping-off place for political protest. 

The space was first designated as “sacred” in 1906, when O. C. Simonds, a well-known prairie school landscape architect, created plans for the construction of West Circle Road. 

In his design plans, Simonds wrote, “I should regard all the ground included in this area marked … as a sacred space from which all buildings must be forever excluded. This area contains beautifully rolling land with a pleasing arrangement of trees, many of which have developed into fine specimens. This area is, I am sure, that feature of the college which is most pleasantly and affectionately remembered by the students after they leave their alma mater, and I doubt if any instruction given has a greater effect upon their lives.”  

Since that day, the area has mostly been frozen in time. No new construction was allowed, pushing development on campus to the east, west and south. Despite his voracious appetite for construction in the 1960s, even former MSU President John Hannah did not consider touching the space. 

In 1915, the famous Olmstead design firm, known for creating New York City’s Central Park, was hired to review the MSU landscape. It helped underline the importance of the sacred space and its rambling, non-linear walking paths. The recommendations would also lead to the elimination of some drives that were beginning to appear due to the growth of automobiles.  

Through easy-to-read, descriptive articles, the book also informs readers about the sacred space’s evolution. Morrill Hall, an early women’s dormitory built in 1899, was torn down in 2013, creating even more open space. Some early academic buildings, like the original Engineering Building, Saints’ Rest Dormitory, Williams Hall and the Botany Building and Greenhouses were either demolished or fell to fire. Cowles House, the home of most MSU presidents, was also demolished and rebuilt. It still occupies a dominating location that evokes the feeling that the boss lives there. Interestingly, it was an easy walk for demonstrators to gather outside the house to call for the end of segregation or war. 

Readers, especially students and alumni, will find the new book to be a pleasant romp through MSU’s astoundingly beautiful campus and its history. The book is peppered with details about topics ranging from floods to buildings’ namesakes to rumors of ghost hauntings, which have spread across campus from its earliest days. (As an aside, I once spent a day alone inside Morrill Hall prior to its deconstruction to research an article for the MSU alumni magazine. I’m not saying I encountered ghosts, but as the day’s light began to fade, it sure was eerie as I navigated the many dead-end warrens of hallways and former dormitory rooms.) 

Right now, I’m patiently awaiting a harsh winter storm that will blanket MSU’s campus. The day that happens, I’m going to ascend to the 10th floor of the new Graduate hotel in East Lansing to take in what I hope is a startling view of the sacred space which, for most of the year, is blanketed with a thick umbrella of trees. 

Kudos to Ed Busch, Megan Badgley-Malone, Jennie Rankin, Susan O’Brien and Stacey Camp, who, alongside dedicated alumni and students, created this unusual guide to one of the most beautiful campuses in the United States.