Then & Now Tour
Welcome to the St. Olaf Sesquicentennial Then and Now Tour!
As you meander through our beautiful campus, use the map and information below to locate each tour stop and discover more about each location.
Please enjoy learning about the history of the campus and how St. Olaf has evolved and grown over the past 150 years.
Tour Map
Stop 1
Beginning on the oldest part of campus, learn about the college’s first building, Old Main, and the early buildings that followed it like Steensland Hall and Hoyme Chapel. This is where it all began…
Stop 2
Holland Hall represented an architectural revolution that still persists today. Holland, Tomson, and Regents Halls together tell another story. This one is about St. Olaf’s steadfast dedication to the sciences.
Stop 3
Residential living and wellness are important parts of Ole life, which are clearly emphasized in the Ole Avenue Project. Another central part of campus is the library, which has only grown with each new iteration.
Stop 4
The heart of campus has not strayed far from the site of the original Ytterboe Hall, which provided Oles a home for nearly a century. Buntrock Commons continues that legacy on the same site.
Stop 5
What was once farmland is now dotted with residence halls. This side of campus has seen many changes and highlights St. Olaf’s period of rapid post-war growth.
Stop 6
The fine arts corner of campus is a hotbed for creativity and expression. Learn about the state-of-the-art facilities that support St. Olaf’s world-renowned music and arts programs.
Stop 7
Located below the hill, athletics and recreation have called this side of campus home for decades. But this area is also home to restored forest and prairie, as well as a resurrected historic building.
Stop 8
What was once the center for St. Olaf’s radio station, called WCAL, still carries on that tradition with broadcast services. The residence hall nearby also carries on the tradition of a famous St. Olaf name.
Stop 9
St. Olaf supported coeducation from the very beginning, and it is honored in the names of many residence halls. One name, however, stands out for a very odd reason…
Stop 10
What was once the campus athletic field is now the tranquil quad. An area once dedicated to athletics now serves as the outdoor core of St. Olaf, where one can listen to the beautiful wind chime tower on a breezy day.
What Is Your St. Olaf Story?
The history of St. Olaf is not one story but many, and we want to hear yours. Whether you’re a current student, alumni, faculty member, or part of our wider community, your story is an invaluable part of our narrative. All lengths of stories are welcome, from brief anecdotes to detailed accounts.