LSU Day: ResLife Past and Present

LSU is celebrating its Sesquicentennial this week with LSU Day. That's 150 years of students living, learning, and growing on this campus.

The university opened just before the Civil War, thrived during the roaring twenties, survived the Great Depression, sacrificed for World War II,  and protested during the sixties and seventies. LSU has witnessed so much, and students have been living on campus through it all. 


I think that is one of the things I love the most about Residential Life. The tradition and history behind it. The residence halls were here long before me and will be around long after I graduate.
LSU Res Life frequently quotes that we are not the "dorms of yesteryear." But, what were the dorms of yesteryear? I've found these pictures of the residence halls through the ages.

The Pentagon Barracks on LSU's original campus downtown Baton Rouge. The Pentagon Community as we know it today was modeled after these buildings.

The Horseshoe community before all of the cars. Photo courtesy of LSU University Relations Archive

The Stadium Dorms. Photo courtesy of LSU University Relations Photography Archive. 

Female students talk with their "dorm mom."  Photo courtesy of LSU University Relations Archive

The Pentagon Barracks c. 1890 in downtown Baton Rouge. (These are not the same buildings that are on campus now!) Photo courtesy of Louisiana State University Photograph collection.

Girls relaxing in Herget Hall.  Photo courtesy of LSU University Relations Archive

"Yes, Mom, I'm going to class." Some things don't ever change. Photo courtesy of LSU University Relations Archive

Graham Hall replaced by the Residential College Complex which opened Spring of 2008. Photo courtesy of LSU University Relations Archive

Boys hanging out. Photo courtesy of LSU University Relations Archive

Girls singing around the Miller piano. Photo courtesy of LSU University Relations Archive

Boys create a wading pool on the West Laville Patio. Photo Courtesy of Louisiana State University Special Collections, Gumbo 1996, pg. 49.

Calling Home. Photo Courtesy of Louisiana State University Special Collections, Gumbo 1957, pg. 2.

 I hope you enjoy these pictures as much as I have. If you have any memorable stories or old pictures  from living in a residence hall, email me at girlinthepurplepolo@gmail.com and I'll add the stories to my blog.

xoxo-- Girl in the Purple Polo