Welcome to the Bascom Hall Intranet
A resource for staff working at Bascom Hall
Building Hours: Monday through Friday 7AM-6PM
(closed weekends)
History
Originally named as University Hall/Main Hall, Bascom Hall was built in 1859. It sits atop a Ho Chunk effigy mound, with three other mounds being destroyed in its construction.
Bascom at first mirrored the Capitol Building with its rounded portico and dome looking out over Bascom Hill, and was renamed to Bascom in 1920 after John Bascom, the president of UW from 1874 to 1887.
The rounded portico was changed to its current square shape in 1885. The dome caught fire in 1916, and while burning fell into a water supply tank, saving the building.
Envisioned as a liberal arts building, it now houses administrative staff and includes one lecture hall, with areas for student support on the lower levels of the structure. It also hosts University Congress as well as Academic Staff Assembly meetings.