St. John's Northwestern's campus consists of a collection of historic buildings, many with towers and battlements in a style that suggests a Medieval castle, with most of them arranged in a U around the drill field.
The school's oldest surviving building is the 1857 rectory of St. John Chrysostom Church, a small Picturesque-style house which was repurposed in 1884 as the academy's first dormitory, infirmary and dining hall.
Next is the odd Shingle style Memorial Hall, designed by John A. Moller with its two caps and built in 1893 as a recreational building/gymnasium.
Next among the surviving buildings is the Dr. Sidney Thomas Smythe house, designed by John A. Moller and built in 1901, an unusual agglomeration of Shingle style and Classical Revival styles. Smythe, the founder of the school, lived here, calling the house "Rosslyn."
Knight Hall classroom building was added in 1902.
Next was DeKoven Hall, designed in Collegiate Gothic style by Thomas Van Alyea and built in 1906, a four story barracks/administration building with octagonal towers at the corners and battlements topping the walls.
The dining hall and barracks Welles Hall was also added in 1906, designed by Van Alyea in a style similar to DeKoven Hall, but with a large square clock tower.
The Beacon is a fieldstone monument built in 1923. It holds an eternal light and displays quotes from St. John's founder.
Victory Memorial Chapel was built from 1921 to 1926, modeled by Van Alyea on the chapel at West Point, and clad in lannonstone.
In 1927 the school added the two-story Hazelwood Hall designed by Van Alyea, housing barracks and classrooms, and it was expanded with Scott Johnston Hall in 1930, with a corner turret.
Smythe Hall was added in 1929, a classroom designed by Van Alyea in a "castle" style like the previous buildings.
In 1977 these historic campus buildings were listed on the National Register of Historic Places for the complementary design of many of them and since the school is the oldest military academy in Wisconsin.
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