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Bascom Hill Historic District
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Bascom Hall atop Bascom Hill
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| Location: | Bounded by Observatory Dr., University Ave., and N. Park, Langdon, and State Sts. Madison, Wisconsin |
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| Built: | 1849 |
| Architectural style: | Gothic, Other, Romanesque |
| Governing body: | State |
| NRHP Reference#: | 74000065 [1] |
| Added to NRHP: | September 12, 1974 |
Bascom Hill is the main quadrangle that forms the symbolic core of the University of Wisconsin–Madison campus. It is located on the opposite end of State Street from the Wisconsin State Capitol, and is named after John Bascom, former president of the University of Wisconsin. The hill itself is a drumlin,[2] formed by glacial deposits about 18,000 years ago.
The hill is crowned by Bascom Hall, the main administration building for the campus. Near the main entrance to Bascom Hall sits a statue of President Abraham Lincoln. The first university building, North Hall, was constructed on Bascom Hill in 1851 and is still in use by the Department of Political Science. The second building, South Hall, was built in 1855 and is now used by the administration of the University of Wisconsin College of Letters and Science.
Bascom Hill is also home to Birge Hall, which houses the Department of Botany; Music Hall; Science Hall, which houses the Department of Geography and the Gaylord Nelson Institute for Environmental Studies; the Education Building, originally home to the School of Engineering; and the University of Wisconsin Law School.