Pioneer Hall, built in 1883, and the Linfield Observatory, built in 1894, were included in this year’s Uncover: McMinnville Historic Preservation campaign. As part of the educational effort, special signage was displayed at each location and the buildings were included on city tours.
Pioneer Hall is on the Oregon Inventory of Historic Sites and Buildings and the National Register of Historic Places. Over the years, it has housed administration offices, a residence hall, classrooms, a theater, a printing press, dining hall and a music conservatory.
The Linfield Observatory was one of the earliest astronomical observatories in the Pacific Northwest. The original wood-frame building was built to house a $1,000 telescope that was bequeathed to the college by A.W. Kinney.
