HILL'S A-POPPIN'! SLIDE SHOW

Arthur Hill's vision, love of Michigan and the arts, and his generous gift are the true cornerstones of Hill Auditorium. He helped the University satisfy the need for a world-class auditorium for musical performances and orators.

Born in 1847, Arthur Hill grew up in Saginaw and worked in his father's sawmill. A teacher recognized his potential and convinced his dad to send him to college. At the U-M, Arthur Hill earned a degree in civil engineering (Class of 1865). He also studied procedures of law at Michigan.

Worked for seven years as a "land looker," walked every county in Michigan carrying a 70-pound backpack to locate and estimate timber quantities for the state and federal governments.

He went into the lumber business with his brother, the first of many business successes.
Served as mayor of Saginaw and, in 1901, was appointed to a vacant seat on the U-M Board of Regents.

Hill Auditorium can trace its history to the shortcomings of an earlier assembly building known as University Hall, a building criticized for its structural and aesthetic design. After the first May Festival was held there in 1894, U-M leaders started talking about the possibilities of a new auditorium and an architect prepared sketches. No funds were forthcoming, and the original plans have since disappeared.