Meadow Brook Hall was nominated for Best Historic Home tour by USA Today last year.

Placing fifth on the USA Today top 10 historical home tours by readers of USA Today and 10Best, Meadow Brook Hall still remains a mystery to some students.

The mansion was built under Matilda Dodge Wilson who was the wife of the late John Dodge and remarried to Alfred Wilson.

The hall was constructed between 1926 and 1929.  It is located at the center of the estate which includes 1,500 acres, farm buildings, private residences and gardens.

Built to reflect the country manor homes in England, the mansion is an example of Tudor-revival architecture in America. Costing nearly $4 million to build the hall, it is known best for its craftsmanship, detail and size of 88,000 square feet.

“I felt like I was stepping back in time”  Ashley Fredericks, health science major, said of her visit to the hall. “The mansion is a beautiful part of Oakland’s campus and history.”

110 rooms are furnished with the family’s original pieces.  The hall is decorated with art on the walls and throughout the mansion which represent the many historical artistic styles.

The estate holds vintage automobiles on site for visitors to view and to learn about the impact that the Dodge Bothers had in Detroit’s early auto industry.

In 1957, the family donated the estate’s 1,500 acres and $2 million to found Michigan State University—Oakland which opened in 1959. It was not until 1963 that MSU—O would become Oakland University.

Meadow Brook Hall was not open to the public until 1971. Currently over 70,000 visitors come to the hall each year.

“Students are extremely lucky to have such history located on their campus,” Andrew Charrette, Harrison Township resident and hall visitor, said. “The estate is a time capsule of art and architecture, among other various historical aspects.”

The university finances the preservation of the hall through facility rental, tours of the estate, hosting special events and fundraising.

Meadow Brook Hall tours last one to one and a half hours depending on the tour group’s size. Tours are held daily Monday through Friday at 1:30 p.m as well as Saturday and Sunday from 11.30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.

Students are encouraged to visit the mansion and its estate during operating hours in order to learn about the history of the hall and view historical art from different eras.

Reservations for tours are not required and are free to Oakland students with a valid student I.D. For Oakland faculty, staff and alumni with an I.D. admission is $10.

For more information about the estate, visit meadowbrookhall.org or call 248-364-6200.