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Dana College Overview

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In 1884 Danish Lutheran pioneers established Trinity Seminary at Blair, Nebraska, for the purpose of training men for the parish ministry. Reverend A. M. Andersen, founder of the institution, began teaching seminary courses in his home. Two years later, the first permanent building on the campus was completed. The main emphasis during those early days was on theology and, although some academic courses were offered, they were taught primarily as a background for theological study. The need for additional academic courses was recognized but not fulfilled until 1899 when the Danish College at Elk Horn, Iowa, was merged with the Blair school. The result was the establishment of Dana College as a separate educational institution.

Dana College Buildings

Old Main

Central Structure 1886 ($7,000)
North Wing 1893 ($6,000)
South Wing 1904 $(12, 500)

Gymnasium
“Two years later, (1902) Sigurd Anker, son of the president and a member of the faculty, led a successful drive to construct the first gymnasium on campus. Completed at an estimated cost of $1,200, the sixty-four by thirty-foot frame structure stood just to the east of present-day Elk Horn Hall. Young Anker used the building to instruct students in precision gymnastics. (page 48, A Place Call Dana.) 1928 the building was sold to a farmer for lumber.

Central Heating Plant (Boiler House)
1916 “brick building with a smokestake so tall that it rivaled the tower of old main was constructed on the south edge of the quadrangle, just to the south of present-day Agro Hall. ($9,000)

Women’s Dormitory – Argo Hall 1923 ($65,000)

History of Argo Hall

Men’s Hall (Elkhorn Hall) (1926)

Alumni Memorial Auditorium

Alumni Memorial Auditorium (1928)

Photo from the Dana College Archives
Scanned Feb. 24, 2003
Arraignments through of Ann George
Photo Size: 5″ x 7″
Marked on Reverse:
From Oscar Johnson, Photographer
Early to Mid 1940’s Dana Gym
See Dana College “Archive Jottings” (November December 2006, January 2007) #45 Page 4 Architect’s plan and promotional material (1920s) for Dana’s auditorium – gymnasium, presented by Kathy Thompson, Harlan, Iowa.)

Pioneer Memorial
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Charles A. Dana LIFE Library (1969)

Charles A Dana Hall of Science (1962)

E. C. Hunt Campus Center (1966)
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Holling Hall (1964)
Rasumsen Hall (1966)
Micklsen Hall (1960)

Blair Hall (1969)
Borup Coliseum (1962)
Performing Arts Center
Madsen Fine Arts Addition (1984)
Omaha Village (1962)
Dana College Room Center (Durham Center) (1993)

Arial View of Dana College

1 Pioneer Memorial
2 Trinity Chapel
3 Margre Henningson Durham Center
4 E.C. Hunt Campus Center
5 Argo Hall
6 Elk Horn Hall
7 Holling Hall
8 Rasmussen Hall
9 Mickelsen Hall
10 Blair Hall
11 Borup Coliseum & Gardner-Hawks Center (not shown)
12 C.A. Dana-LIFE Library
13 Madsen Fine Arts Center
14 C.A. Dana Hall of Science
15 Omaha Village Apartments

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