Social Sciences

Building History

The Department of Social Sciences occupies the second floor of the Academic Office Building (AOB) and the entire Annex Building located behind it, along Cliff Drive. Two of the oldest buildings remaining on campus, the AOB and the Annex were built in 1908 and 1936, respectively.

While evidence suggests that the AOB was architecturally unique on campus, the Annex’s pilasters with concrete capitals seem to echo the original engineering building, which was built in 1930 and located on the east end of campus where the R. L. Smith Building now stands.

Our Home

Exterior view of the Academic Office Building
Close-up view of the Academic Office Building's front entrance.
Historic photo of the Michigan College of Mines Administration Building, now called the Academic Office Building.
Reading Room in the Michigan College of Mines Library, now called the Annex.
Mineralogical Museum inside of the Michigan College of Mines Library, now called the Annex.

Academic Office Building

This Classical Revival-style brick building has local Jacobsville sandstone accents forming the foundation, window lintels, and Doric portico.

Exterior view of the Annex building.
Hallway inside of the Annex building.

Annex

The Annex is a brick building with an Art Deco/Streamline Moderne flair in its brick pilasters with concrete capitals. It was designed by Wilfrid Polkinghorne ‘14.

Blueprints for the second floor of the Michigan College of Mines Administration Building, now called the Academic Office Building.
Blueprints for the ground floor of the Michigan College of Mines Administration Building, now called the Academic Office Building.
Blueprints for the basement of the Michigan College of Mines Administration Building, now called the Academic Office Building.
Blueprints for the Michigan College of Mines Library, now called the Annex.

Blueprints

The AOB has been home to the main administration offices, mineral museum, rifle room, faculty club room, and academic departments.