Coughlin Campanile
Encyclopedia
The Coughlin Campanile was completed on the campus of South Dakota State University
(SDSU) in 1929. Costing $75,000, it was a gift to the University from Charles Coughlin, a graduate from the class of 1909. The Campanile
is a chimes tower that rises to 165 feet and is located on Medary Ave. The tower's chimes cover three octaves and can be "played" manually from an organ in the nearby Lincoln Music Hall. The Campanile also appears in SDSU's business logo and on most letterheads.
In August 2000, as a part of "Visions for the Future" campaign over 4,000 alumni and businesses donated a total of $540,000 to have the Campanile restored. This restoration included mortar work and replacement of parts of the limestone base.
For many years the Coughlin Campanile was the tallest structure in South Dakota and is the iconic figure for the campus and the city.
Its distinctive red lamp at the top is a familiar beacon on a dark prairie night that welcomes travelers from tens of miles away.
South Dakota State University
South Dakota State University is the largest university in the U.S. state of South Dakota, located in Brookings. A public land-grant university and sun grant college, founded under the provisions of the 1862 Morrill Act, SDSU offers programs of study required by, or harmonious to, this Act...
(SDSU) in 1929. Costing $75,000, it was a gift to the University from Charles Coughlin, a graduate from the class of 1909. The Campanile
Campanile
Campanile is an Italian word meaning "bell tower" . The term applies to bell towers which are either part of a larger building or free-standing, although in American English, the latter meaning has become prevalent.The most famous campanile is probably the Leaning Tower of Pisa...
is a chimes tower that rises to 165 feet and is located on Medary Ave. The tower's chimes cover three octaves and can be "played" manually from an organ in the nearby Lincoln Music Hall. The Campanile also appears in SDSU's business logo and on most letterheads.
In August 2000, as a part of "Visions for the Future" campaign over 4,000 alumni and businesses donated a total of $540,000 to have the Campanile restored. This restoration included mortar work and replacement of parts of the limestone base.
For many years the Coughlin Campanile was the tallest structure in South Dakota and is the iconic figure for the campus and the city.
Its distinctive red lamp at the top is a familiar beacon on a dark prairie night that welcomes travelers from tens of miles away.