Old College (Franklin College) – UGA 130 (1801–1805, renovated 1908 and 2006; Category 2). Old College, completed between 1801 and 1805, was the first permanent building on the campus, and considered to be one of the oldest surviving structures in northeast of Georgia. Modeled after Connecticut Hall at Yale University, Old College was constructed as an all-purpose building as was typical of many colleges at the time. It was later converted for use as a dormitory. Originally referred to as Franklin College, a name that was often applied to the university as a whole during much of the nineteenth century, the building later took on the name Old College after the New College building was completed. Old College is listed as a contributing building of the Old North Campus Historic District.
By the early twentieth century, Old College was in poor condition, and considered for demolition. In 1908, a group of supporters campaigned to preserve the building and collected donations to restore it. After the state legislature appropriated funds for this effort, restoration work moved forward. The work included complete replacement of the crumbling brick exterior in 1908. The interior was later redesigned and renovated during World War II to accommodate use as a military barracks.
Old College is a three-story rectangular brick buildings located on the south side of the Northeast Quadrangle and north side of the South Quadrangle. Old College has a modern standing seam metal roof. The building has two identical entrances on each of its two principal facades. Each entrance accesses a stair hall the width of the building, which is connected by an east-west corridor on each floor level.
The exterior brick walls are in good condition, though some non-matching repointing was noted and stone sills, lintels, and belt course have been painted. The existing wood double-hung sash are not original but replicate the building’s historic appearance. The wood window frames may be original.
The interior of Old College has been substantially rehabilitated, although the original floor plans and spatial layouts appear to remain. The building retains overall integrity of the exterior and is assessed as a Category 2 resource.
