The Legacy of America’s First Finnish College

On this day in history, September 8, 1896, a groundbreaking institution opened its doors in Hancock, Michigan — Suomi College, the first Finnish college in the United States. With just 27 students in rented quarters, the small school had an ambitious mission: to train Lutheran ministers and preserve Finnish language and culture in America.

The driving force behind this mission was J.K. Nikander, a Finnish immigrant and pastor with the Finnish Evangelical Lutheran Church of America (the Suomi Synod). Nikander saw the influx of Finnish settlers to Michigan’s Upper Peninsula — many drawn by copper mining and lumber jobs — and recognized the need for clergy who understood their language and traditions.

In 1898, the cornerstone was laid for Suomi’s first permanent home known as Old Main. Designed by Charles Archibald Pearce in the Richardsonian Romanesque style and built from rugged Jacobsville sandstone, the building cost $40,000 — a hefty sum at the time. It was a true all-in-one college facility, housing classrooms, offices, a dormitory, library, chapel, kitchen, and even a laundry. The building was dedicated on January 21, 1900.

Finlandia University

Suomi quickly outgrew Old Main, adding more facilities by 1901. Over the decades, the college evolved from a theological school to a liberal arts institution. In 1958, the seminary separated from the college, and in 2000, Suomi officially became Finlandia University.

Sadly, Finlandia University closed in 2023. More than a century of educational tradition ended, but the story of Old Main didn’t end there. In January 2024, a developer bought the building and transformed it into Old Main Inn. Old main is now a retreat center, wedding and event venue, museum, and home to an artist collective and gallery.

Today, Old Main still stands as a Michigan State Historic Site (since 1959) and as a member of the National Register of Historic Places (since 1972). Its thick sandstone walls hold not only the memory of countless students, but also the enduring spirit of Hancock’s Finnish heritage.

From theological training to art exhibits, from dorm rooms to wedding receptions — Old Main has seen it all. And through each chapter, it has remained a proud monument to the determination of a small immigrant community that wanted to make its mark in America.

Historical Marker

Suomi College/Old Main

Suomi CollegeIndustry and Invention (1875-1915) – Registered in 1959 and erected in 1991 – ID #S211

Located at 601 Quincy Street, Hancock – Lat: 47.12658400 / Long: -88.58923000

Suomi College

In the 1880s large numbers of Finns immigrated to Hancock to labor in the copper and lumber industries. One immigrant, mission pastor J. K. Nikander of the Finnish Evangelical Lutheran Church of America, headquartered in Hancock, wanted to ensure seminary training in America. He had observed that Swedish and Finnish immigrants along the Delaware River did not train new ministers, and he feared a loss of Finnish identity. In 1896 Nikander founded Suomi College. The college’s role was to preserve Finnish culture, train Lutheran ministers and teach English. During the 1920s Suomi became a liberal arts college. In 1958 the seminary separated from the college. Four years later the Finnish Evangelical Lutheran Church of America merged with other mainstream Lutheran churches.

Suomi CollegeOld Main

Suomi College was founded in 1896 by the Finnish Evangelical Lutheran Church of America. The cornerstone of Old Main, the first building erected at Suomi College, was laid on May 30, 1898. Jacobsville sandstone, quarried at the Portage Entry of the Keweenaw waterway, was brought here by barge, cut, and used to construct Old Main. Dedicated on January 21, 1900, it contained a dormitory, kitchen, laundry, classrooms, offices, library, chapel, and lounge. The burgeoning college quickly outgrew this building, and in 1901 a frame structure, housing a gym, meeting hall, and music center was erected on an adjacent lot. The frame building was demolished when Nikander Hall, named for Suomi’s founder, J. K. Nikander, was constructed in 1939. The hall was designed by the architectural firm of Saarinen and Swanson.