A Blend of Old and New: Campus Then and Now

By Liz

When you’re running across campus to get from one class to another, or when you stop to stand to wait for the bus, or for that matter, when you stop to join as lineup to get your morning coffee, have you ever stopped to really think about where you are? Have you ever thought about the people who would have studied on campus before you? Did they stand in line ups for beverages too? Did they sprint to get from one side of campus to another, just to make their next class?  

At 105 years old (only 41 years younger than Canada), the University of Alberta is one of the oldest establishments in the country. As such,  we are lucky  to be surrounded by the perfect blend of past and present right here on campus. If you look around closely, you’re able to see century old buildings that stand right beside the freshly broken ground of new construction projects. So, as we celebrate the nation’s birthday this weekend, we hope that you’ll join us in taking a moment or two to think about our past.. and to celebrate our present! 

Historic Photo Courtesy of the University of Alberta Archives Accession #69-12-0045

Historic Photo Courtesy of the University of Alberta Archives Accession #80-7-0009

Historic Photo Courtesy of the University of Alberta Archives Accession #69-95-0098

Historic Photo Courtesy of the University of Alberta Archives Accession #2000-101-1-365

Historic Photo Courtesy of the University of Alberta Archives Accession #69-18-0038

Historic Photo Courtesy of the University of Alberta Archives Accession #72-58-0294

Historic Photo Courtesy of the University of Alberta Archives Accession #72-58-0434

Historic Photo Courtesy of the University of Alberta Archives Accession #69-97-0301a

Historic Photo Courtesy of the University of Alberta Archives Accession #75-114-1038

Liz’s Notes about the project:

We have one of the most beautiful combinations of past and present on our campus, but that sure doesn’t mean it is easy to photograph! I set out on a scavenger hunt around campus with about 30-40 photos from the archives and a slowly draining optimism as I realized many photos I wanted to recapture were impossible to do. Giant trees and massive libraries stood in my way of seeing where the old photos were once taken. In some spots, trees blocked my view, and in others, the places that used to be here, just no longer exist. I backed all the way up against walls and crouched under doorways, but this was the best I could do!

However, I was reminded how amazing our campus is and was. Buildings that are over 100 years old still stand and are used today, seamlessly blended with the new structures. Our U of A campus is much larger then it was when it first opened, yet I get the feeling that those first students probably felt like it was pretty big too. Campus was already one of my favorite places in Edmonton and I appreciate it even more now. Create your own scavenger hunts with these photos [hyperlink] and see what you can find out about your campus!