Old Main, built in 1886, is the first and oldest remaining building on the University of Wyoming campus in Laramie, Wyoming.

The style of Old Main set a precedent for all future University buildings. The main stone used is rough-cut sandstone from a quarry east of Laramie, and the trim stone is smooth Potsdam Sandstone from a quarry near Rawlins, WY. Old Main was designed to be a monumental structure and to be a symmetrical building with a prominent central spire as its focal point. The building was also designed to reflect the character of Wyoming. The rough stone and smooth trim represented the progressing frontier.

Currently, Old Main houses university administration, including the President’s Office and the boardroom where the Trustees often meet.

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In the early days of the University, faculty and students would gather in the auditorium in the Old Main building twice a week for a public meeting.

Each service was opened by a song from the college hymnal followed by announcements from members of the faculty. The University of Wyoming president would then take the opportunity to speak on a subject of general or moral interest to life at the University.

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This map, published in the 1899-1900 University of Wyoming Catalogue, shows the relationship of the University to the rest of Laramie. For many years, the campus was truly on the outskirts of town, with Green Hill Cemetery to the northeast.

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The first dormitory on the University of Wyoming campus was originally called “Women’s Hall,” but was eventually renamed for University President Charles O. Merica.

Constructed in 1908, Merica Hall housed 25 girls, each of whom paid $20 per month for room and board. The building ceased to serve as a dormitory in 1943, but continued to provide office space for many years. In 1951, the building was converted into the domestic science department and has continued to serve as office space for other departments as well.

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In the 1930s, University of Wyoming President Arthur Crane proposed the idea of creating a designated area within school property specifically for residences to house the University’s fraternities and sororities. Known as “Fraternity Park,” Crane believed that having the fraternities and sororities so close at hand would not only improve the living conditions of the students, but also bring them more closely within the influence of the university.

Wilbur Hitchcock designed the first sorority in the park – Pi Peta Phi — in 1930. The buildings had to comply with the look of other University of Wyoming buildings, including the exteriors, sidewalks and landscaping.

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The student laundry at the University of Wyoming in the 1940s was for co-ed usage.

A prelude to today’s online dating services!  Imagine how many matches were made as men and women casually met over the washing machine at the University of Wyoming.

The first permanent post-war improvements to the campus came in the late 1940s and early 1950s, and the greatest building boom occurred in the mid-1960s. The 1960s building included new housing units for students, with apartments for married students and men’s and women’s dormitories. The new buildings added to the campus since the end of World War II reflect a growing divergence from the architectural design tradition established by Wilbur Hitchcock and Raymond Hood in the mid-1920s, although up until the 1970s west campus buildings continued to respect the traditional architecture in their scale and use of compatible materials.

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When the University of Wyoming Student Union was built, it became the social center of life on campus. Pictured above is the “new” Wyoming Union Fountain Room where students could meet and socialize.

Originally constructed on March 3, 1939, the Wyoming Union has not only been the geographical center of campus, but is also known as the living room of campus. An addition in 1957, a comprehensive renovation in 1973 and another addition in 2002 have transformed the Wyoming Union into a place where students, staff, faculty, and community come together.

Today, the facility offers over 19,000 square feet of outstanding meeting and conference space. In addition, the building houses the University Store, Copy Center, First Interstate Bank, and a variety of dining options. Student services include the ASUW student government, Greek Life, Campus Activities Center, Service, Leadership and Community Engagement, Student Media, Non-Traditional Student Center, Rainbow Resource Center and the Multicultural Resource Center.

The Wyoming Union is a place where students can participate in a wide variety of programs, activities, leadership, and involvement opportunities that enrich the college experience.

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The Wyoming Student was a monthly literary magazine produced by University of Wyoming students and faculty. Founded in October 1898 by R.I. Rigdon, it carried poems and articles with a section containing news items and editorial comments. The publication continued as a magazine in varying sizes and formats until 1913. Then, it changed to a newspaper format under the editorship of Agnes Wright and was renamed the Branding Iron.

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The Octopus Tree, first planted among 20 other trees, was accidentally created when a groundskeeper continually mowed over it, causing it to grow into the odd shape that inspired its name. In the 1980s, the tree was removed after it was labeled a “hazard.” Its legend remains that “anyone who has not been kissed under it is still a freshman at the University, regardless of the number of credit hours the student has obtained.”

A new tree was planted in 2010 south of the Williams Conservatory, and a ceremony marked the revival of the Octopus Tree tradition.

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The Potter Law Club — 1943.

The formal opening of the first law school at the University of Wyoming was the result of a 1922 petition by students. The Potter Law Club was organized by Professor Thurman Arnold and named in honor of Wyoming Chief Justice Charles N. Potter. This photograph of the club was taken in 1943.

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