Welcome to the History page.

On this page, you will get to see how the University of Oregon Campus has changed over the course of it’s existence… mostly. As Interesting as it would be to view aerial photographs of the Campus from the late 1800’s  or early 1900’s, few such photographs exist.

THE METHOD –

The earliest complete aerial photographs of Eugene were taken in 1936 from fixed wing aircraft flying over the city. They flew in “sweeping paths” to capture the complete landscape…

b24_liberator

Shown in the above image is the B24 Liberator. While the B24 hadn’t been introduced until 1941, this is one of such aircraft that were widely used to capture aerial photography.

1936 Eugene Aerial Photographs Index University of Oregon Libraries

As you can see, there are several rows of points marked on the map indicating where photographs were taken. Each point has a number that matches it with a specific photograph.

THE TIMELINE – In three Era(s)

The historical development of the University of Oregon’s buildings and landscapes is summarized and divided into three major Era(s).

The Inception Era,
This first era marks the establishment and early development of the university
with the construction of the first building in 1876, (Deady Hall). The chronology of significant changes to the University campus is as follows…

[1876] – Deady Hall
[1886] – Collier House, the residence of Physics professor George Collier
[1886] – Villiard Hall, the second building on campus
[1893] – Friendly Hall, the first student dormitory on campus
[1901] – Mechanical Hall (Now part of Lawrence Hall)
[1906] – Fenton Hall

Villard and Deady Hall, early 1910s.

UO_Villard_Hall_and_Deady_Hall

The University Campus was very different in the Inception Era. In the area surrounding Deady Hall, the great trees that are present today were few and small during this time period. The Campus had a much more open feeling to it.

The Lawrence/Cuthbert Era,

The second era of development began when Ellis F. Lawrence was hired in
1914 to be the University of Oregon’s architect and dean of the new school of
art and architecture (now Architecture and Allied Arts). Lawrence developed
the university’s first master plan in 1914 expanding the 100-acre campus south
of 13th Avenue. This era sparked  substantial development under the direction of Lawrence until his death in 1946. Frederick A. Cuthbert, hired in 1933 to start the department of landscape architecture and to serve as the university’s landscape architect, collaborated with Lawrence on many projects. Chronology of campus changes…

[1914] – Architecture Building (Now part of Lawrence Hall)
[1914] – Addition to Fenton Hall
[1915] – Johnson Hall, the Administration Building
[1916] – Peterson Hall
[1918] – Hendricks Hall, the (then) womens dormitory
[1919] – Hayward Field
[1921] – Gerlinger Hall
[1921] – Gilbert Hall (Now Anstett Hall)
[1921] – Susan Campbell Hall
[1923] – Journalism Building
[1923] – Architecture and Allied Arts
[1924] – School of Music
[1925] – Condon Hall
[1926] – McArthur Court
[1928] – John Straub Memorial Building (Straub Hall)
[1930] – Museum of Art
[1936] – Fenton Hall converted into the (then) Law School
[1936] – Esslinger Hall
[1937] – Knight Library
[1939] – Chapman Hall
[1940] – Memorial Quadrangle Walks, made

Era Imagery – 

University of Oregon Campus – 1936

UO Campus 1936

University of Oregon Campus – 1944

1944

The Mid-Century Era.

Not long after Lawrence’s death in 1946, the UO Campus grew to 202 Acres in size. An assortment of architects designed buildings in a range of expressions without a master plan to follow. Throughout the 1950s and 1960s new construction included dormitories and a number of academic buildings, many of which were influenced by the International Modernist movement. In other words, Campus design and planning went fully out the window after 1946.

[1949] – Carson Hall
[1949] – University Theater (Added to Villard Hall)
[1950] – Knight Library Expanded
[1950] – Erb Memorial Union
[1952] – Science Building (Now Pacific Hall)
[1954] – Allen Hall
[1955] – Virgil D. Earl Hall (Now Earl Complex)
[1959] – Walton Hall (Now Walton Complex)
[1960] – Geology Building (Columbia Hall)
[1961] – Onyx Bridge
[1962] – Hamilton Complex
[1964] – Bean Complex
[1964] – Prince Lucian Campbell Hall
[1966] – College Inn (Now Barnhart Hall)
[1967] – Autzen Stadium
[1967] – Computing Center
[1967] – Now Klamath Hall (as Science II)
[1969] – Clinical Services Building
[1969] – Gerlinger Annex
[1970] – McKenzie Hall (as Law Center)
[1973] – Huestis Hall (as Science III)
[1974] – Oregon Hall

Era Imagery – 

University of Oregon Campus – 1952

1952

University of Oregon Campus – 1960

1960

University of Oregon Campus – 1968

1968

And Late Era.

The conclusion of the Mid-Century Era officially occurred in 1974, however the accuracy of this date is debated. There was never an official fourth Era to follow the Mid-Century Era, it would only fade into the time we currently inhabit… unnamed. Perhaps the naming of this current Era is a task best left to historians of the future.

We ought to call it the Decadent Era if you ask me.

[1984] – Agate Hall Acquired
[1986] – Chiles Business Center (Now part of Lillis Business Complex)
[1987] – Museum of Natural History
[1990] – Science Complex, including…
[1994] – Final Addition to Knight Library
[1998] – EMU Amphitheater
[1999] – Knight Law Center
[1999] – Student Recreation Center
[2003] – Lillis Business Center
[2006] – Living Learning Center
[2008] – Lorry I. Lockey Laboratories
[2009] – Jamal Center for Student Athletes
[2011] – Matthew Knight Arena
[2012] – Global Scholars Hall
[2012] – Lewis Integrative Science Building

Era Imagery – 

University of Oregon Campus – 1977

1977

University of Oregon Campus – 1990

1990

University of Oregon Campus – 2005

2005

University of Oregon Campus – 2014

2014