Old Main: The UConn History Corner

Vintage photos, classic articles, surprising facts, and other tidbits from the history of the University of Connecticut. Tweets by @TJBreen

[Old Main: The UConn History Corner @main_old]

A new road sign, paying tribute to Jerauld A. Manter. He was a professor from 1915 to 1956 and UConn's unofficial photographer. Most of the images in the archives from that era are his. He's the presiding spirit of this account, and it's great to see him get recognized this way.

[Old Main: The UConn History Corner @main_old]

The institution's various names were shortened into acronyms from 1881 to 1939: SAS, SAC, CAC, and CSC. But that hasn't been true since we became UConn, so the all caps treatment isn't necessary

[UConn @UConn]

To sum it up: when you tweet, it’s UConn, not UCONN. And correctly spelling our nickname is very important to our identity as a public university. We wrote all about it – bookmark this article so you never forget: https://t.co/GF2aseyZLD

[Greater Hartford Twilight Baseball League @GHTBL1929]

@main_old 1951 @UConnBSB

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The best time of year to be in Storrs, whether in 2022 or 1952

[UConn @UConn]

Fall in the fifties 🍂

📷 Department of Archives & Special Collections/UConn Library

[Old Main: The UConn History Corner @main_old]

Today in 1881: The first classes ever are held at the Storrs Agricultural School, which will grow into the mighty University of Connecticut. To give you some idea of how much things have changed, this is Rte. 195 from around the time those first students arrived

[Old Main: The UConn History Corner @main_old]

Congratulations to @UConnWBB on their win last night! Here's a team photo from 1907, when an 18-16 victory over Windham High School was cause for celebration. Good luck in the Sweet 16, Huskies!

[Old Main: The UConn History Corner @main_old]

Byline-watchers will note that Hartford Courant story about Gorbachev's visit was written by none other than @ReitzTweets

[Old Main: The UConn History Corner @main_old]

In 1996, former Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev came to UConn, and in his speech called on Russian President Boris Yeltsin to resign, saying the latter was preventing the development of genuine democracy in Russia: https://t.co/ApJXp1nQuz

[Old Main: The UConn History Corner @main_old]

Sen. Bob Dole has passed away at the age of 98. During the 1996 presidential campaign, he visited Connecticut four times, including a stop at UConn, alongside then-Gov. John Rowland.

[Old Main: The UConn History Corner @main_old]

In case you've ever wondered which presidents have visited UConn prior to today, wonder no more: https://t.co/lKRfqrvUwq

[Old Main: The UConn History Corner @main_old]

Here's a University Communications archive photo from the last time a sitting president visited UConn: it was 1995, and it was on the occasion of the original dedication of the Dodd Center

[UConn @UConn]

President Joe Biden will join former U.S. Senator Christopher J. Dodd and other dignitaries at UConn Storrs on Friday, Oct. 15 to mark the dedication of The Dodd Center for Human Rights. https://t.co/WaomfxmmRt

[Old Main: The UConn History Corner @main_old]

140 years ago today, UConn had its first day of classes. Here’s a really fun story about the early years by @ReitzTweets https://t.co/lsULHwqPtW

[Old Main: The UConn History Corner @main_old]

Happy first day of autumn!

[Old Main: The UConn History Corner @main_old]

It's Move-In weekend! Welcome to the Class of 2025. Although you can't park as close to the dorms as you could when this photograph was taken at move-in weekend in 1964, the excitement and emotions are the same. Best of luck this weekend, Huskies!

[Greater Hartford Twilight Baseball League @GHTBL1929]

doggo @main_old

[Doug Sarti @DougSarti]

I was going through some old stuff and came across my mom's UCONN freshman beanie. Go Huskies! @main_old @UConnAlumni @UConn

[Old Main: The UConn History Corner @main_old]

Heading into the weekend with the calm assurance of this square dance caller at a UConn dance in 1949

[Old Main: The UConn History Corner @main_old]

Before St. Thomas Aquinas parish was built, UConn's Catholic community worshiped at a small wooden chapel located along the same stretch of North Eagleville Road. The chapel burned down in the 1940s; the photo at right shows UConn firefighters controlling the blaze

[Old Main: The UConn History Corner @main_old]

“Wish you could be up here,” August 1921. The Dairy Building, since demolished, was the first brick building on campus.

[Old Main: The UConn History Corner @main_old]

October 29, 1980: Marcus Unlimited, a troupe of male strippers, performs at the Student Union, accompanied by not-entirely-serious protests from students. You can almost hear President DiBiaggio sigh when reading his comment to the Daily Campus.

[Old Main: The UConn History Corner @main_old]

Flint was president during the somewhat grandiosely-named "War of the Rebellion," a dispute over whether UConn should expand its curriculum to become more of a liberal arts school; he was also responsible for the first brick building at UConn, a creamery

[Old Main: The UConn History Corner @main_old]

Trivia note: Although he was born in Scotland, Dr. Agwunobi is not the first person born outside the US to lead UConn. George W. Flint, president from 1898-1901, was born in Yarmouth, Nova Scotia

[UConn @UConn]

Dr. Andrew Agwunobi, CEO of @UConnHealth, has been selected to serve as UConn’s interim president beginning July 1, 2021.
https://t.co/sgplL3ckZQ