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With its storied past and the relocation of the site's previous occupants, the Karl G. Maeser Building stands as not only the oldest but also one of the most mysterious buildings on campus.
The Karl G. Maeser Building, built in 1911, is the oldest building on BYU campus still in use. According to Provo records
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Brigham Young sent John Sommer Higbee to find a place to settle a colony by the Provo River in 1849. In 1850, as part of the settlement efforts, Temple Hill Cemetery was established where the Maeser Building now stands.
Temple Hill Cemetery was an active cemetery from 1850-1880
In 1880, the soil of Temple Hill Cemetery was determined to be too sandy for a cemetery as graves would cave in before burials could take place, and Temple Hill Cemetery was officially closed.
Even though the cemetery was relocated more than 200 years ago, Alexandra Jones, a program assistant at BYU, had an experience about a year ago with the former Temple Hill Cemetery.
Jones said she was at the Maeser Building when she received an unexpected phone call from her mother. Jones recalled her mother asking her what she was doing at a cemetery and if she was alright.
“‘I’m not at a cemetery, I’m at the Honors building, the Maeser Building,’” Jones explained to her mother.
Jones’ mother had been tracking her location on an app to make sure Jones made it safely to work. Unknown to Jones at the time, the Maeser Building was marked as a cemetery on the app.
Contrary to what some apps may think, the Temple Hill land's cemetery days are long gone. Following its time as a cemetery, the Temple Hill area became home to the Karl G. Maeser Building. Prior to its current role as the home of the Honors Program
BYU students involved in the Honors Program become very familiar with the Maesar Building.
“Most of the classes that you take as an honors student are in this building,” EJ Smith, an honors advisor, said. “It’s the coolest building on campus.”
The Honors Program offers challenging courses with the added benefit of smaller class sizes, according to the Maeser Building's webpage
“I’m very proud to be in the Honors Program,” Jones said. “It’s just a very homey environment, very safe community.”
Jones continued to say that with the smaller class sizes, the Honors Program creates a tight-knit community that allows for everyone to get to know each other.
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As stated on the Maeser Building's webpage
The Maeser Building itself features a series of tall marble columns and a statue of Karl G. Maeser himself outside of the building.
“I really really love this building. It’s beautiful,” BYU student Adam Johnson said.
Johnson said the Maesar Building is a special building, unique from other campus buildings in appearance.
It is clear from the Maeser Building's strange history that its unique architecture isn't the only thing setting this building apart from other campus structures.