Oddsconsin...where we explore peculiar and sometimes mysterious features of Wisconsin’s human landscape. 

When Milton College finally closed its doors in 1982, it was the oldest institute of higher education in the state, beating the University of Wisconsin by 4 years. Milton College grew out of the Du Lac Academy, founded in 1844 by Joseph Goodrich, an early Milton settler. It became known as Milton Academy in 1854. The two earliest extant buildings on campus, Main Hall and Goodrich Hall – the original dorm – were built in 1855 and 1857, respectively.

Milton College was unique, given that the Village of Milton had a population of less than a thousand well into the 20th century. The College was also ahead of its time in admitting women; it was a coeducational institution from the start. In comparison, the University of Wisconsin first admitted women in 1863 and did not give them full coeducational status until the 1870s, thanks in part to anti-coeducation resistance from UW President Chadbourne. (Ironically, the UW's Female College building - originally called Ladies Hall - was renamed Chadbourne Hall in 1901.) 

Enrollment at Milton College fluctuated over the years, reaching over 800 by the late 1960s. At that time, new buildings were added, including more dormitories, a library, a student center and an athletic facility. Ultimately there were 13 buildings on campus. All but one of these buildings survives, and all have been adapted to new uses. Main Hall is now owned and operated by the Main Hall Preservation Society, while the library is home to the Milton Public Library.

Like many small colleges, Milton College closed due to financial pressures, which caused it to lose its accreditation. Being heavily dependent on tuition without a large endowment, it went into debt when enrollment dropped in the 1970s.

Milton College is not alone in this regard. According to a 2022 study by the State Higher Education Executive Officers Association, almost 12,000 campuses of institutions of higher education in the US shut their doors between 2004 and 2020 – an astounding rate of 2 per day. The causes of these closures are often financial ones stemming from declining enrollment, competition from larger schools, the shrinking pool of high school graduates across the country and a decline in state appropriations. These pressures often lead many schools to fail regulatory accountability measures, leading to loss of accreditation, which of course exacerbates the problem.

There are other lost campuses in Wisconsin, but Milton College is unique for its longevity, unusual setting and forward thinking. The old campus buildings are in excellent condition thanks to the efforts of the Main Hall Preservation Society and new owners, and serve as a reminder of Milton’s past as a Wisconsin leader in higher education.