▁chem istry . ▁ ▁History ▁Northern ▁Michigan ▁University ▁was ▁established ▁in ▁ 1 8 9 9 ▁by ▁the ▁Michigan ▁Legisl ature ▁as ▁Northern ▁State ▁Normal ▁School ▁to ▁offer ▁teacher ▁prepar ation ▁programs ▁in ▁Michigan ' s ▁then - w ild ▁and ▁sp ars ely ▁populated ▁Upper ▁Pen ins ula . ▁When ▁it ▁opened ▁in ▁ 1 8 9 9 , ▁N M U ▁en rolled ▁thirty - two ▁students ▁who ▁were ▁taught ▁by ▁six ▁fac ulty ▁members ▁in ▁r ented ▁rooms ▁in ▁Mar qu ette ▁city ▁hall . ▁The ▁original ▁ ▁campus ▁site ▁at ▁the ▁corner ▁of ▁Pres que ▁Is le ▁and ▁K aye ▁Aven ues ▁was ▁on ▁land ▁don ated ▁by ▁local ▁business man ▁and ▁phil anth rop ist ▁John ▁M . ▁Long year , ▁whose ▁names ake ▁academic ▁building , ▁Long year ▁Hall , ▁opened ▁in ▁ 1 9 0 0 . ▁ ▁Through out ▁the ▁school ' s ▁first ▁half - century , ▁education ▁and ▁teacher ▁training ▁was ▁school ' s ▁primary ▁focus . ▁During ▁this ▁time , ▁the ▁school ▁built ▁the ▁native ▁sand stone ▁buildings ▁K aye ▁and ▁Peter ▁White ▁H alls , ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁a ▁manual ▁training ▁school ▁next ▁to ▁the ▁campus ▁buildings , ▁J . D . ▁Pier ce ▁School . ▁Mod est ▁en roll ment ▁increases ▁led ▁to ▁several ▁name ▁changes : ▁ ▁Northern ▁State ▁Normal , ▁ 1 8 9 9 ▁Northern ▁State ▁Te ach ers ▁College , ▁ 1 9 2 7 ▁Northern ▁Michigan ▁College ▁of ▁Education , ▁ 1 9 4 2