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CSU Archives and Special Collections

CSU Buildings and Grounds History

A history of CSU's building and grounds from 1870 to the present.

Historic Buildings and Architecture Sources for Research

CSU's Sense of Place: A Campus History of Colorado's Land-Grant University, by James E. Hansen, Gordon A. Hazard, and Linda M. Meyer. LD1150 .H36 2018.  Available in Morgan, Reference, and Archives

A history of campus buildings as of 2018.

 

Buildings of Colorado, by Thomas J. Noel.  NA730 .C6 N64 1997.  Available in Reference.

Briefly describes the campus and eight historic buildings.

 

Colorado State University Oval District Survey Report.  LD1153 .C656 1995  Available in Reference, Archives, and online

Detailed information on 33 buildings, including architectural style, building materials, photographs, floor plans, and histories.


Colorado State University Main Campus: Ringing Grooves of Change, 1870-1973.  LD1155 .A1 H35 1974.  Available in Reference and Archives

Very brief descriptions of all campus building through the early 1970s.  Includes several maps.


Historic Campus Spots of Colorado State University, by James R. Miller.  LD1153 .M542 1963.  Available in Reference and online

Histories of the earliest buildings on campus.

 

Urban Forest Management Plan Colorado State University Campus, by Kathleen Alexander.  SB436 .A44 1998. Available in Archives and Morgan.

A starting point for landscape architecture, particularly urban forestry practices on campus.

 

Registry Numbers for Historical Buildings/Landmarks

From History Colorado

  • Aggie "A" Vicinity of Road 42C, near Horsetooth Reservoir State Register 9/13/1995, 5LR.1878
  • Ammons Hall National Register 6/15/1978, 5LF.472 Eugene G. Groves
  • Botanical & Horticultural Lab (Routt Hall) National Register 9/18/1978, 5LR.471 O. Bulow
  • Civil & Irrigation Engineering Building, State Register 12/13/1995, 5LR.1960
  • Entomology Building, (L.L. Gibbons Building) State Register 12/13/1995, 5LR.1961
  • Forestry Building, (Building #81) State Register 8/11/1999, 5LR.2090 Eugene G. Groves
  • Guggenheim Hall, State Register 12/13/1995, 5LR.1962
  • Lavatory / Entomology Laboratory, (Nutrition Research Laboratory) State Register 12/13/1995, 5LR.1963
  • Library, (Laurel Hall) State Register 12/13/1995, 5LR.1964
  • Mechanical Engineering Building, (Industrial Sciences Building) State Register 12/13/1995, 5LR.1965
  • Potting Shed, (Forensics Laboratory) State Register 12/13/1995, 5LR.1966
  • Soils Building, (Vocational Education / Soils Laboratory) State Register 12/13/1995, 5LR.1967
  • Spruce Hall / Dormitory / Boarding Hall National Register 1/9/1977, 5LR.470 Hiram Pierce
  • Veterinary Medicine Building, (Building # 84, J.V.K. Wagar Building) State Register 8/11/1999, 5LR.2092 Frank W. Frewen and Earl C.Morris

Web Resources

Around the Horn: Developing CSU's Campus - Dr. Sarah Payne and graduate students use ArcGIS mapping to create a digital history of CSU.

Campus Building Floorplans (CSU Facilities Management) - Detailed floor plans for campus buildings.

Campus Character (CSU Facilities Management) - Campus architecture and aesthetics through the years.

Colorado Architects (From History Colorado) - Biographies of architects in Colorado based largely on the files in the Office of Archaeology and Historic Preservation.  Eugene Groves, who designed 13 buildings on the CSU campus is included as is James M. Hunter, whose buildings include the Danforth Chapel and the Lory Student Center.  If looking for other architects, CSU's Sense of Place: A Campus History of Colorado's Land-Grant University includes the architects who designed the building.  Search for those names in this database.

CSU Mountain Campus - A brief history and starting point for discovering the history of the Mountain Campus.

CSU Story Map Project - This digital collection includes photographs taken as part of the CSU's Sense of Place project referencing the history of buildings on Colorado State University's campus.

Eddy Hall and the Clark Building: From the 1960s to the Present, and Beyond - A history of the Eddy and Clark Buildings by Bruce Ronda, Professor Emeritus of English.

For the Love of Clark: A Virtual Exhibition - A history of the Clark Building, presented by HIST 540: History and Material Culture graduate students.

“Historic Campus Spots of Colorado State University”, pages 1-6, by James R. Miller, 1963.

Industrial Sciences Lab - A history of the lab is included in the 2020 article "Construction Management’s Industrial Sciences Lab building gets revitalized" in Source.

Sanborn fire insurance maps - Maps of Fort Collins from the Library of Congress.

William E. Morgan - Colorado State University Campus History - Former president William E. Morgan discusses the history of Colorado State University's campus buildings and grounds and answers questions regarding events during his tenure in a presentation commemorating the 125th anniversary of the institution.

William E. Morgan - Colorado State University Campus History (4 videos) - Former president William E. Morgan discusses the history of Colorado State University's campus buildings and grounds.

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