Case Main Fire
On October 27, 1886, soon after the beginning of the school year, a devastating fire destroyed the new building. The fire was thought to have started in the chemistry laboratory though the cause was never determined.
In order to continue operations, the trustees and President Staley accepted use of space at the neighboring Western Reserve University, specifically the north end of the Adelbert Hall dormitory (later known as Pierce-Cutler Hall) and the basement of the Adelbert Main building (currently known as Adelbert Hall).
