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Utah State University historical photo-board collection

 Collection
Identifier: UUS_USUPHO1

Scope and Contents

This collection consists of 2,842 photographs that document the history Utah State University from roughly 1890 to 1990. Nearly every major aspect of USU is covered by these images including student activities, athletics, building projects, departments, graduation, classroom scenes, the library, research, laboratories, extension and experiment station activities, and university staff and faculty. The images show the evolution of the University from the Agricultural College of Utah with nine faculty members and 139 students when classes first opened in the fall of 1890 to the modern, graduate, research institution. Photos are mounted onto 2,024 archival poster boards.

Entries followed by an (RO) designation are copies of the original. The originals are located in the Retired Originals Collection P0329 under the same item number. Many of these photographs are also found in other collections, such as the Agricultural College of Utah Cyanotypes Collection P0014. References to these collections will be listed after the entry by their collection number (ex. P0014) followed by their item number within the collection. Entries enclosed partially or wholly by quotation marks (" ") are taken directly from the reference work cited, in most cases this will be the Buzzer, the University yearbook.

Some photographs in this collection were replaced with modern copies and the originals removed to form the Retired originals photograph collection, 1860-1965 (P0329).

Dates

  • Creation: 1889-1997
  • Creation: Majority of material found within 1900-1960

Language of Materials

Collection materials are in English.

Restrictions

Open to public research.

Conditions Governing Use

It is the responsibility of the researcher to obtain any necessary copyright clearances.

Permission to publish material from the Utah State University historical photo-board colletion must be obtained from the Special Collections Photograph Curator and/or the Special Collections Department Head.

Biographical Note

For more information about the history of Utah State University see Pictures Past: A Centennial Celebration of Utah State University by A.J. Simmonds and An Encyclopedic History of Utah State University by Robert Parson, University Archivist.

Utah State University has had four official names: Agricultural College of Utah (1888-1916), Utah Agricultural College (1916-1929), Utah State Agricultural College (1929-1957), and Utah State University (1957- to date).

Buildings on campus were used for a multitude of purposes and often housed several academic departments over the course of the school's history. For continuity's sake, this inventory will use one specific name for each building or place, even though that name has changed over time. The following list indicates each building's most common name and a brief history. These buildings are denoted in the inventory by an asterisk.

Old Main Hill - The rather steep hill on the southwest corner of campus is well known to today's students as Old Main Hill, after the building which crown's its peak. Prior to the main building on campus being nicknamed Old Main, this hill was called College Hill, after the campus itself. For continuity's sake, the hill will be referred to as Old Main Hill.

Merrill Library - The first campus library was actually housed in Old Main, although it moved three times within the building due to departmental accommodations. In 1930, the University Library was built - a three story structure on the east end of the Quad. In 1963 and 1967, two additions were added to the building, completely enclosing the old structure, and the modified building was renamed after Milton R. Merrill, Vice President of Utah State University. In the summer of 2003 construction began for a new Merrill Library to be built adjacent to the east and north sides of the Stanford O. Cazier Science and Technology Library (Sci-Tech Library). The former Merrill Library was torn down in 2006 after the completion of the new Merrill-Cazier Library. To avoid confusion with the 1995 Sci-Tech and Merrill-Cazier Libraries, "Merrill Library" will refer to the original site of the 1930 University Library Building.

President's Residence - Originally meant to be the model farmhouse and the home of the School of Domestic Science, the President's Residence was first claimed in 1890 by President Sanborn, who swapped his planned residence in Old Main with the School of Domestic Science. It remained in use as the official residence of the President until Joseph Marion Tanner (1896), when it was vacated and turned into a dormitory. Currently it is used as the campus Alumni Center. Throughout this inventory, it will be called the "President's Residence" in order to avoid confusion with later dormitories.

Student Union Building - Until the 1950s, campus lacked a formal building for use by the student body. The Family Life Building, with a cafeteria and outdoor eating area, served as a social gathering place for the students. Other structures, such as the TUB (Temporary Union Building), were used from 1946 to 1952 while the Student Union Building was planned and built. On May 2, 1953, the first wing of the building was dedicated and opened for student use, with the second wing being completed nearly ten years later in December of 1964. From the 1950s to the 1970s, the building was referred to as the Union Center. Around 1980, the name of the building was changed to the Taggart Student Center after Glen L. Taggart, 11th President of the University. For continuity's sake, the building will be referred to as the "Student Union Building."

University Annex - Built in 1891, this building served as a co-ed boarding house until 1909. It was later used as the Domestic Science Building from 1909-1935, World War I barracks, Forestry Building from 1935-1960, and as the University Annex and Social Sciences & Arts Building from 1961-1970. It was condemned after the earthquake of August 1962 and demolished in the fall of 1970. Due to its changing use, the title "University Annex" will be used to identify the building throughout the inventory.

Extent

3.0 linear ft. (2 filing cabinets)

Abstract

2,842 photographs that document the history of Utah State University from roughly 1890 to 1990. Nearly every major aspect of USU is covered by these images including student activities, athletics, building projects, departments, graduation, classroom scenes, the library, extension and experiment station activities, and university staff and faculty. The images show the evolution of the University from the Agricultural College of Utah with nine faculty members and 139 students when classes first opened in the fall of 1890 to a modern, research institution. Photos are mounted onto 2,024 archival poster boards.

Arrangement

Arrangement: Topical.

Immediate Source of Acquisition

These images were compiled from a variety of University resources as well as private donors. Many of the photographs also came from University publications such as the school yearbook, student newspaper, catalogues, and advertisements. A portion of the items in this collection have been compiled from five other photograph collections (P0004, P0007, P0014, P0017, and P0329) in which case the photoboard displays a duplicate and the original remains in its respective collection.

Existence and Location of Copies

View selected digitized images from the Utah State University historical photo-board collection.

Related Materials

  1. H. Reuben Reynolds Collection - P0004
  2. Maxwell D. Cohn Photograph Collection - P0007
  3. Agricultural College of Utah Cyanotypes Collection - P0014
  4. Utah Cooperative Extension Division - P0017
  5. Postcard Collection - P0031
  6. USU Intermountain Herbarium - P0119
  7. Military Science and Tactics - P0137
  8. County Extension Agent Reports - P0138
  9. Utah State University Student Activity Photograph Collection - P0312
  10. Outlook Magazine Photograph Collection - P0320
  11. Publicity Portraits - P0326
  12. Retired Originals Collection - P0329
  13. ROTC Scrapbooks - P0350
  14. Utah Juniper Photograph Collection - P0366
  15. Student Union Building - P0367

Processing Information

Register completed by Liz Woolcott, 2003, and revised by Daniel Davis, April 2008.

Title
Guide to the Utah State University historical photo-board collection1889-1997
Author
Finding aid created by Tonia Lewis, June 2001.
Date
©2008
Description rules
Finding Aid Based On Dacs (Describing Archives: A Content Standard, 2nd Edition)
Language of description
English
Script of description
Latin
Language of description note
Finding guide is in English in Latin script.
Sponsor
Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA) grant, 2007-2008

Revision Statements

  • May 25, 2008.: Template information was updated to reflect Utah Manuscript Association best practices.
  • 2009: Template information was updated to reflect Archives West best practice guidelines.

Repository Details

Part of the Utah State University, Merrill-Cazier Library, Special Collections & Archives Repository

Contact:
Merrill-Cazier Library
Utah State University
3000 Old Main Hill
Logan Utah 84322-3000 United States
435 797-8248
435 797-2880 (Fax)