The Plattsburgh Normal School is founded in…

The Plattsburgh Normal School is founded in Plattsburgh, New York, in 1889.

Former state politician and influential Plattsburgh businessman Smith M. Weed had championed endlessly the cause to build a state normal school (a teachers' college) in the city of Plattsburgh.

After multiple proposals to the New York state senate going as far back as 1869, the final bill had been formally proposed on January 12, 1888 by George S. Weed, Smith Weed's son and state assemblyman.

With the strong backing of Assemblyman General Stephen Moffitt, the Plattsburgh Normal and Training School bill had been passed by both houses of the New York State Legislature and signed into law by Governor David B. Hill in June 1889.

The board of directors adopted official by-laws for Plattsburgh State Normal and Training School on September 2, 1889.

At a meeting held on June 28, 1889, it is decided the new normal school will be on land known as "the former athletic grounds", bounded on the north by Court Street, on the east by Wells Street, on the south by Brinkerhoff Street, and on the west by Beekman Street.

However, these plans are dropped in favor of a larger plot created by combining land on each side of Court Street west of Beekman Street, so that "Court Street, one of the finest residence streets in the village, leads directly to the main entrance".

This is the same location where Hawkins Hall now stands on the current campus of SUNY Plattsburgh.

The impressive structure, known as "Normal Hall", is constructed by Brown Brothers of Mohawk, New York, who also build the Court House in downtown Plattsburgh.