History of Campus Buildings: The Physical (Walking) Tour

If you would like to physically walk (or ride) the campus tour, begin by printing out

Click on the image for a bigger view of the map

the map and this directions page, and carry them with you. The directions assume you are using sidewalks on foot, bicycle or wheelchair / wheeled cart. Allow at least 90 minutes at a steady pace to see all the buildings on the tour.

Information about each building is included via the links in text below. You may wish to print selected sections to take with you on your tour.

Begin your tour at Welch Hall (1), which is on the south side of campus, across the street from the historic Water Tower, where you will also finish the tour.

Proceed northeast (into campus) to Ford Hall (2).

Proceed southeast (back toward Cross St.) to Boone Hall (3).

Proceed east down Cross Street toward College Place, from which you will see Pease Auditorium (5) and the location of the former Business & Finance Building (4).

Turning north (left) on College Place, you will see Pierce Hall (6) on your left.

As you pass Pierce Hall, follow the walkway on the north side of the building, heading west (left) into campus. On your right you will see King Hall (7), then, turning around and heading back east, Roosevelt Hall (8).

Continue east on Forest Avenue, where you will see the Goddard and Jones residence halls (9) to the north (your left).

As you proceed toward Lowell Street, you will see Sill Hall (11) and then 600 W. Forest St. (10) on your left.

Turn north (left) onto Lowell Street. As you reach East Circle Drive, you will see the Alexander Music Building (12) on your left.

Turn west (left) onto East Circle Drive. As you pass Alexander, you will see the Quirk Dramatic Arts Building (13) (also known as Quirk/Sponberg Theatres) on your left.

Turn north (right) onto Ann Street, where you will pass by the Best/Wise/Buell/Downing residence hall complex (14). Dining Commons 1 is located in the center of this complex.

You will re-encounter East Circle Drive in one block; turn west (left) here. To the north (right), you will see the Putnam/Sellers/Walton/Phelps residence halls (15).

Follow East Circle Drive as it curves to the south (left). At the corner, you will see Pray-Harrold (16) hall to the south.

Pass Pray-Harrold heading southwest, and you will see the Porter College of Education Building (17). Looking across West Circle Drive to the west, you will see the Geddes Town Hall one-room schoolhouse (18).

Turning north from the Porter Building, head back toward East Circle drive as it runs north. On your left, you will see Warner Gymnasium (23) and the Snow Health Center (19).

Just past the Snow Health Center, you will see the Olds-Robb Student Recreation Center (also called the Rec/IM) (20).

Head toward the entrance to the Rec/IM (20), and you will see a path leading along the building's west side into University Park, which contains the lake and LakeHouse (21). Follow the path into University Park as it proceeds toward the LakeHouse. Feel free to explore University Park while you are here. When you are ready to resume your walking tour, continue on the paved path past the basketball and volleyball courts, and out through the north end of University Park.

Shortly after exiting the north end of University Park, you will arrive at the Hoyt/Pittman/Hill residence hall complex (25). (Continue west toward Oakwood Drive, where you will see the Village residence complex across the street.

When you reach Oakwood, turn south (left) on the sidewalk as it continues past Pine Grove apartments (24) and the construction zone for the new student center to the east (left). You will soon see the parking deck and West Circle Drive. Follow the sidewalk east, along West Circle drive, to re-enter the main campus. As you pass the parking deck, you will see Bowen Field House (22) to the east.

Immediately after passing the parking deck, turn to your right and re-enter the walkway as it proceeds between Halle Library (26) which will be to the west (your right) and the Brown/Munson apartments (27) to the east. Halle Library is a state-of-the-art facility and a centerpiece of the campus. If it is open, we encourage you to stop in for a visit and self-guided tour.

You will soon arrive (again) at West Circle Drive; turn left (east), passing the south end of Brown/Munson apartments. On your right (south) will be Strong Hall (31), and shortly on your left (north) will be the Rackham building (28). As West Circle Drive veers north (left), turn right (south) to follow the main sidewalk ("the mall").

Directly on your left as you turn south will be the Marshall Health and Human Services Building (29). On your right is the Hover Building (30), then on your left will be King Hall (7). Further on your right is Sherzer Hall (35), which houses the University's observatory.

As you are passing Sherzer Hall, turn right (west) and walk around the south end of Sherzer, where you will see the Mark Jefferson mall area on your right. Proceed into the mall/courtyard, where you will see Strong Hall (31) on the north side, Mark Jefferson (32) on the west side, the Terrestrial and Aquatic Research building in the southwest corner, and Briggs Hall (34) on the south side.

Turn around and walk back south toward Starkweather Hall (36), the oldest building on campus. As you walk past Starkweather, you will see McKenny Union (37) on your left. You are invited to tour McKenny Union at your leisure. As you are passing McKenny Union, you will see the fountain area and Welch Hall toward the south, and you have completed your historic walking tour of campus.

Please feel free to browse through any open campus buildings while you are on your tour. If you have any questions along the way, please contact our Admissions Office (401 Pierce Hall, 734.487.3060) or our Alumni Relations Office (734.487.0250). Enjoy your visit to EMU!