Centenary Collegiate Institute fulfills criteria C for historic significance in the category of Architecture for the period 1899 - 1901 pursuant to the National Register of Historic Places categories. As the original site and academic building for the present day Centenary College, the Centenary Collegiate Institute directly correlates with the history of Centenary College proper, and events in the history of New Jersey and the Town of Hackettstown that fostered its founding. An excellent example of Beaux Arts Classicism and Italian Renaissance revival architecture of the late nineteenth - early twentieth centuries, it is the product of architect Oscar Schutte Teale, best known for his copious ecclesiastic works in the New York/New Jersey region. The scale of the work, its quality of craftsmanship and the time of its completion are also significant with regards to the use of standardized, state of the art materials and construction systems. Finally, the impact of its existence on the social and economic growth and development of Hackettstown and vicinity is considerable. - NRHP, 13 June 1999