Rebirth of Mines A Look at CSM from 1800 - 1899 The new Mines campus site was selected to be at the northwest corner of what is now 15th and Washington, well within the Golden city limits and fire rescue range. Denver architect W.H.J. Nicholls was hired to design a new building, the Hall of Chemistry, to facilitate the school's rebirth. The result was a respectable, 2-story, $7,500 red brick building, with a central front door topped by a patterned Greek temple design. Its windows of the first floor had segmental arches like Mines' original building, but on the 2nd floor they become rounded arch windows including paired windows above the door, and the building was topped off with a hipped roof. For the first time, Mines students worked without a dirt floor. The State School of Mines' building worked well. So well, in fact, it was overflowing within two years. Faced with the choice of either expanding or continuing a school gaining national attention with inadequate facilities, President Albert C. Hale and the board decided to double the building's size with a new north wing. With this wing, Denver architect L.A. Heard restored the Second Empire design to the SSM campus. It was a 2-story red brick building with a full basement, featuring Italianate arched windows capped with white stone arches. The new wing had an off-center front entrance and was topped with a mansard roof. When construction commenced, Golden Globe editor (and future Colorado Lieutenant Governor) William Grover Smith wrote, "The structure when completed will present a much finer appearance than the present School of Mines building." On May 12, 1883, the School of Mines graduated its first class. Charles W. Deems and William Beebe Middleton were the first two graduates from Mines, finally, 10 years after the school first began instruction. Deems had spent his academic career at Mines; Middleton had transferred from former Professor Mallet's alma mater and was considered "a young gentleman of unusual talent." In their commencement, Deems performed the piano solo "Miserere," while Middleton delivered the essay "Mining as a Legitimate Business." Transcript editor George West wrote of these two young graduates: "Their success in life is assured and Colorado, as well as those in charge of the school will have reason for being proud of the Pioneers and ban-guard of the line of illustrious alumni whom we hope to see as the crowning glory of those who have planned liberally and laid broad and deep the foundation of this worthy state institution." Article from:  www.goldenlandmarks.com