Husker History on Campus

College of Law entrance with brick archway under a skylight.

March 21, 2025

Across campus, you’ll see pieces of Husker history — often hiding in plain sight. Here are the stories of just a few campus artifacts.

Brick building with tall windows under a clear blue sky, surrounded by grass and shrubs.
Left: The entry of the old College of Law is seen inside what is now Architecture Hall. Right: An archival image of the original College of Law.

The College of Law was originally situated near Architecture Hall (which was then the library). The original 1912 entry and the east facade were retained and incorporated into what is today the Architecture Hall link.

Large bell framed by green stone, dusted with snow in a snowy outdoor setting.
Historic brick building with a central tower, surrounded by sparse vegetation and distant structures.
Left: The bell from University Hall situated within a wall outside the Wick Alumni Center. Right: An archival photo of University Hall.

Construction began on University Hall — the first building on campus — in 1869. Though University Hall was razed in 1948, the building’s original bell has a new home in the Nebraska Alumni Association’s garden.

Large industrial steel beam decorated with a white design in a partially renovated space.
Weightlifting equipment in a modern gym, including a rack with weights and a bench.
The girder featureing the stylized Nebraska weighlifter during rennovations (left) and in the finalized space (right).

During renovations in the women’s locker room of Campus Rec, the original ironwork for the Coliseum was revealed. Stenciled onto a girder was a stylized Nebraska weightlifter from when the area was a weight room. It was left uncovered in the final space, adding a touch of Husker history to a modernized space.

A large red drum with text on the center that says “The University of Nebraska” around the outside and “home of the Cornhuskers” on top of an ear of corn in the center
A renovated Big Bertha made it’s debut during the 2019 Homecoming Parade.

In March 1932, the Cornhusker Marching Band got a little bigger with the addition of Big Bertha, a five-foot drum. In 2019, she underwent restoration during the university’s 150th anniversary celebration thanks to the Nebraska Alumni Association.

Cheerleader poses with drum players and a seated man in a stadium with red and white bleachers.
Large drum displaying "The University of Nebraska, Home of the Cornhuskers," surrounded by small drums.
Four men in white uniforms stand with University of Nebraska drums on grass near a white building.
Archival photos of Big Bertha alongside bandmembers through the years.

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