KU's Memorial Stadium, built through a universitywide fundraising drive begun in 1921, is home to football, the KU Relays, commencement and much more. Over the years, donors have helped KU make the stadium environs bigger and better. (For additional photos and stories on the history of KU football, visit kuhistory.com and click on the icon at the top left titled, "The Old College Try.")
The site for McCook Field, predecessor of Memorial Stadium, was provided through gifts from alumnus John McCook and former Kansas governor Charles Robinson. Photo from KU Archives.
Chancellor Hiram Lindley, at the plow, breaks ground in 1921 for the new stadium. Photo from KU Archives.
The west side under construction, with Strong Hall visible at the top of the Hill, left. Photo from KU Archives.
The KU-MU game in 1921. The stadium's east-to-west orientation gave onlookers a great view from the Hill in the 1920s, as it does today. Photo from KU Archives.
Aerial view, 1924. Photo from KU Archives.
View from the Kansas Union, 1925. Photo from KU Archives.
The KU teams sets a world record in the Kansas Relays, 1925. Photo from KU Archives.
View toward Jayhawk Boulevard, 1927. Photo from KU Archives.
The horseshoe is completed, 1927. Photo from KU Archives.
Track star Glenn Cunningham, 1932. Photo from KU Archives.
KU-MU game, 1947. Photo from KU Archives.
From 1947: Don Fambrough, far left, and Otto Schnellbacher, far right. Photo from KU Archives.
View from the Hill, 1953. Photo from KU Archives.
Track stars Bill Neider, Les Bitner and Al Oerter in 1956. Photo from KU Archives.
Billy Mills (right), early 1960s. Photo from KU Archives.
Band Day, 1964. Photo from KU Archives.
Dwight Peck and Jim Ryun (right), 1967. Photo from KU Archives.
ROTC demonstration, 1969. Photo from KU Archives.
Faculty elected by students as HOPE Award winners, 1972: Arno Knapper, business (far right); Elizabeth Schultz, English (center); and John Bremner, journalism (behind Schultz). Photo from KU Archives.
Danning Manning and his 1988 NCAA basketball championship teammates celebrated with fans. Photo from KU Archives.
Fans leave the stadium after the 1988 celebration. Photo from KU Archives.
In 2002, for the second year in a row, Dick Tinberg (center) and his wife, Jeanne, gave $1,000 scholarships to 25 students chosen at random during the season's opening game. The scholarships drew attention to KU First, the university's third comprehensive fundraising campaign. Photo by Aaron Delesie.
The 2008 NCAA basketball champions celebrate. Photo/Jeff and Laura Jacobsen, KU Athletics.
View from the Hill, 2008, with new practice fields at right and football offices at left. Photo by Steve Puppe.
View from the Kansas Union of the stadium and new facilities. Photo by Steve Puppe.