Fisher Hall and Marcum Center

Fisher Hall and Marcum Center is a building at Miami University in Oxford, Ohio.Construction and PlanningFisher Hall was constructed over a period of four years and completed in 1856. The simple and reserved style of the windows and spacing suggested a Georgian tradition. The three-story building formed the letter T and the head of the T, which is the east-west section, was designed to have a major porch with an entry at each end. The center had a projecting section that enclosed a third story ballroom. There was a full basement that contained a kitchen.It was initially built as an independent college building and then Oxford Female College occupied a remote location northeast of the developing town of Oxford, Ohio as well as Miami University. The site is level and spacious and was easily reachable by car from High Street and Ohio Route 73. The building was not crowded by adjacent buildings and was surround by well-developed trees and landscaped lawns. The whole area nearby was especially attractive for strolling and enjoying a quiet corner of the campus. The building’s brick shell varied from 12” to 16”, and is a local, pale red and sand molded brick. The floor area of Fisher Hall was variously stated between 46286sqft and 61,384 square feet.HistoryFisher Hall was dedicated on September 3, 1856 for the Oxford Female College. It was founded and constructed under the leadership of Reverend Dr. John Witherspoon Scott, who was a pioneer educator and father-in-law of President Benjamin Harrison. The land was given by Ebenezer Lane, which was 44 acres, on the northeast edge of Oxford as well as a substantial endowment. The building was designed by James K. Wilson, who was a charter member of the Cincinnati Chapter of the American Institute of Architects. Fisher Hall stayed a part of the women’s college until 1882. According to Eric Johannesen, who wrote “Ohio College Architecture Before 1870”, called the Oxford College building “one of the finest examples of institutional architecture from this period in the Midwest”.