amUSIngArtifacts

part of the Then and Now continuing series about the March of Time

*Post written by Mona Meyer, Archives and Special Collections Metadata Librarian

First, just a quick history for anyone not familiar with the history of the University of Southern Indiana.  Way back in 1965 we started as a regional campus of Indiana State University, thus called Indiana State University Evansville, or ISUE.  There was no campus as we know it today; early classes were held in an old (built in 1876) building at 112 N.12th Ave. called Centennial School. Fast forward to 1968, with the campus under construction.  Here’s an image of the first president, Dr. David L. Rice, walking by a muddy field to his office.

As best as can be approximated, here’s that same view today.

Moving on to my favorite building on campus, named after that intrepid man walking near the mud above:

The grand opening for this building was July 23, 2006.  You may be surprised to see where the former building sat, in the image below.  It’s not an exact match….the former library sat “further into” campus, i.e., not as close to the boulevard, but look closely at those straight sides and overhangs on the right side of this building. That (minus the fancy inset windows) was the library.

If you look closer at the other side of the Performance Center, that loading dock seen to the left was part of the library, too.

Here’s a 1972 view of front of the former library building, taken from a campus view. You can see some of those straight sides and overhangs mentioned above more clearly here. Much of the surrounding area was developed and remains today in a way that you might recognize, but that development occurred after this photograph was taken.