Tucked in the heart of the Midwest, Mizzou is a hidden gem in the midst of influential universities that are household names. Mizzou is overlooked in comparison to universities more prominent in academics, athletics and location. If you say "I go to Mizzou" to someone not quite familiar with Missouri or the surrounding areas, they will scratch their head and ask, "You go to the zoo?" But Mizzou has a rich history; it was founded in 1839 and survived wars, threats of shutting down, and a fire. The university is 175 years old–what would it have been like to walk around campus as a student back in the day? Today, students utilize resources and buildings that they don't even think twice about using, such as the Rec, the library, and the student center. Let's look at landmarks at Mizzou and see what they looked like back in the day:
Memorial Gateway
Signifying the entrance to the university, Memorial Gateway has an interesting past. The Union troops used the former Academic Hall during the Civil War and destroyed several hundred books. The Board of Curators sued the U.S Army for damage, and the money won was used to construct Memorial Gateway in 1915.
Southwest Housing
The current residents of South, Center, and North residence halls live in the same location that housed Smith, Donnelly, and Blair residence halls. These residence halls were constructed in 1961 and demolished in 2004. The replacement of the new residence halls is part of an extensive residential life master plan.
Lowry Mall
Lowry Mall used to be Lowry Street until it turned into a walkway to accommodate more foot traffic. The top picture shows Memorial Union under construction in the 1920s.
Natatorium
The most interesting find of them all–he natatorium. Constructed in 1964, this pool was used as an "addition to the men's gym facilities." The housing of the natatorium was where the present-day Stankowski parking lot is located. This creepy-looking pool hosted swim practice and the meets of the Mizzou swim team. The natatorium was demolished when the Olympic-sized pool was opened at the Rec in 2005.
Ellis Library
Look familiar? Ellis Library hasn't changed much since 1915, except, of course, more women. The library was built in 1915 and is celebrating its 100th birthday this year. The original Ellis Library was just the quiet room on the second floor and the central book stacks. The west and east wings were added over the years. Currently, the MU libraries are looking to collect funding from student tuition to use for a major renovation for Ellis Library.
