Est. 1915 · Minnesota University History · Historic Campus Architecture · Moorhead History
Weld Hall, completed in 1915, is the oldest building on what was then Moorhead State University's campus — now Minnesota State University Moorhead (MSUM). The building was named for Frank Weld, described in historical accounts as a man of 'unaffected dignity' associated with the institution's early development.
The building houses Glasrud Auditorium, a theater space with a grand balcony that was removed in 1969 and the space walled in — a modification being reversed in the current renovation. The backstage area features two winding metal staircases, one of which has been closed off and the other kept locked, owing to their steep and narrow construction.
In 2023, the Minnesota Legislature allocated $23.1 million for a comprehensive renovation of Weld Hall — the building's first major renovation in more than 50 years. The project includes new mechanical and electrical systems, fire suppression, accessibility upgrades, and the restoration of Glasrud Auditorium including the return of its balcony. Construction is projected to conclude in spring 2026 with the building reopening to the campus community in fall 2026.
The university's name changed from Moorhead State University to Minnesota State University Moorhead in 2000.
Sources
- https://www.inforum.com/news/moorhead/msum-kicks-off-23-million-renovation-of-iconic-weld-hall
- https://msumadvocate.com/2017/10/27/haunted-halls-the-mystery-of-welds-ghost/
- https://www.mnstate.edu/stories/english/restoring-a-legacy-weld-halls-transformation-nears-completion
ApparitionsResidual haunting
The ghost of Weld Hall presents with an unusual specificity: the figure is seen on the stage, and he has no legs. Witnesses describe him floating or dancing in the performance space, the lower portion of his body absent. The same figure has been reported in other parts of the building, including near the elevator, always without legs.
The accounts attached to the death that supposedly explains the apparition vary significantly. Some versions describe a janitor who fell down the winding metal staircase backstage. Others attribute the death to a fall from the roof or a ladder during construction or maintenance. The student newspaper, The Advocate, documented a version in which a janitor died by suicide in Glasrud Auditorium. The MSUM student journalism community has noted that 'while it's highly likely the older employees are making the stories up, there is evidence of a death at Weld' — though specific verification dates and details remain unconfirmed.
The two winding backstage staircases, steep and mostly out of service, lend physical credibility to the staircase-fall version of the legend. One is completely blocked off and the other locked.
With Weld Hall currently closed for its $23 million renovation and scheduled to reopen in fall 2026, the building is inaccessible as of this writing. The restoration of Glasrud Auditorium's balcony — removed in 1969 — may change the building's interior geography in ways that affect the legend's specific spatial references.
Notable Entities
Legless apparition (janitor or worker, unnamed)
