The University of Michigan received four honors during the city of Ann Arbor’s 39th Annual Historic Preservation Awards.
The awards recognized the university’s stewardship of historic landmarks, including the Cooley Memorial Fountain on Ingalls Mall, as well as its contributions to the city’s architectural and cultural heritage, the relocation of the Raoul Wallenberg House, and two sesquicentennial milestones: the 150th anniversary of the College of Pharmacy and the 150th anniversary of the university’s first doctoral degrees, commemorated through the Rackham Graduate School.
The city presents the annual awards to recognize individuals and organizations whose work preserves Ann Arbor’s historic places through restoration, rehabilitation, stewardship and education.
”U-M’s historic buildings and landmarks tell the story of generations of students, faculty and alumni who have shaped this institution,” said Sue Gott, associate director of planning and communication in Architecture, Engineering and Construction. “Preserving these places is about more than maintaining beautiful buildings. It is also about honoring our history while ensuring these spaces continue to serve and inspire future generations. We are grateful the city of Ann Arbor recognized the care and collaboration behind this work.”
The university received a Preservation Award for the Cooley Memorial Fountain, a Central Campus landmark completed in 1940. Located on Ingalls Mall between Burton Memorial Tower and the Michigan League, the fountain features Sunday Morning in Deep Waters, a bronze sculpture by Swedish artist Carl Milles depicting the sea god Triton and his 13 sons. Commissioned by Athletic Director Charles Baird in honor of former Law School Dean Thomas Cooley, the fountain underwent a major restoration in 2018.
The city also presented the university with two Sesquicentennial Awards. The College of Pharmacy was recognized during its 150th anniversary year. Founded in 1876, it was the nation’s first pharmacy school at a state university and has become an international leader in pharmaceutical education, research and innovation.
The second sesquicentennial award commemorated the 150th anniversary of the university’s first Doctor of Philosophy degrees. U-M was among the nation’s earliest research universities to offer graduate education, awarding its first master’s degree in 1849 and its first two Ph.D. degrees in 1876. Since opening in 1938, the Rackham Building has served as the home of the Rackham Graduate School.
The university also received a Special Merit Award for relocating the Raoul Wallenberg House to 439 S. Division St., adjacent to the Arthur Miller House. The move preserved one of the small student homes associated with two of the university’s most distinguished alumni: playwright Arthur Miller and Raoul Wallenberg, the Swedish diplomat whose efforts saved thousands of Hungarian Jews during the Holocaust.