Browse Items (77 total)

Carrie Watson, also a survivor of Quantrill's raid, graduated from KU with an A.B. in 1877. In 1878 she was hired as an Assitant Librarian in Spooner Library, where she corralled unruly students such as William Allen White. She was promoted to…

Two short-lived traditions at the University were festivities centered on May Day. According to Robert Taft in his book The Years on Mount Oread, the Maypole scrap between freshman and sophomores first occurred May 1, 1891. This riotous and often…

By the turn of the century students were well on their way to following traditions and consecrating ceremonies set down in the early years of the institution. Nola's scrapbook encapsulates four years of student life between its covers. Nola was a…

Starkly seen against the backdrop of early Lawrence and the Kansas River is North College the first building built for the University of Kansas.  This is the earliest known photograph of KU probably taken in 1867.  The building was just 50 feet…

Old Fraser Hall was opened initially as University Hall in 1872.  In 1897 the building was rededicated to honor John Fraser, the university’s second chancellor.  It was razed in 1965 amid much controversy. 

Haworth Hall, completed in 1909, was the first building for the benefit of the School of Engineering. Within its walls were mining and ore-dressing laboratories and facilities for mining engineering, geology, and mineralogy. Like Robinson it was…

Robinson Gymnasium was named in honor of Charles and Sara Robinson for their long-time service to the state of Kansas and the city of Lawrence. Opened in 1907 it included a 107 by 70 feet gymnasium, a swimming pool and men’s and women’s locker rooms…

Announcement from the Junction City Union advertising the opening of Kansas State University in Lawrence on September 12, 1866.  The University of Kansas was first known as Kansas State University.

Blake Hall was built in 1895 to house physics. The building had several lecture halls, a library and reading room and many laboratories for physical and electrical research. The building was demolished in 1963.