A Growing Campus

Since it beginnings in a rented hall Brigham Young University has been in a state of constant growth.  The studentbody now tops 30, 000 and the physical facilities of the campus have grown to over 300 buildings.  It seems that the campus is in a state of constant construction as new facilities are built and old facilities are remodeled.  Each building has a unique tale to tell and plays an important role at the university.

Education Building, ca. 1892

In 1892 Karl G. Maeser stepped down as principal of Brigham Young Academy and Benjamin Cluff became the first principal to enjoy a permanent home in the Education Building.  The Education Building is no longer part of the Brigham Young University campus but continues to play an important role in the city of Provo as part of the city library.

Karl G. Maeser Building, ca. 1911

The Karl G. Maeser Memorial Building was completed in 1911 and had two main purposes: 1) to memorialize the beloved Karl G. Maeser and 2) to stake the university’s claim to Temple Hill and as the Church’s university.  The building featured classrooms and offices and served as the administration building from 1911 to 1961.  It is now home to the Honors Program.

Gordon B. Hinckley Alumni & Visitors Center

The Gordon B. Hinckley Alumni and Visitors Center was completed in 2007 and has quickly become the campus home of visiting alumni.  It memorializes the late Gordon B. Hinckley who served as President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and as a member of the Brigham Young University Board of Trustees.

These are only three of the many buildings on campus and each has its own story to tell.  An important source for these stories is the Brigham Young University Building Dedication Files, 1892-2007 (UA 877).  This collection contains flyers, programs, invitations, speeches, dedicatory prayers, and other memorabilia associated with various building dedications.  To see the finding aid for this collection click here.

Another important source of information on the buildings of campus is the Brigham Young University Campus Building Photographs collection, 1882-1983 (UA 827).  This collection features images of campus buildings from the Lewis Building through the Ernest L. Wilkinson Student Center.  To see the finding aid for this collection click here.

Both of these collections are available through the reading room in the L. Tom Perry Special Collections at Brigham Young University.  For more information about these collections contact the University Archivist at gordon_daines@byu.edu or 801-422-5821.