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The sites featured here provide various approaches to understanding U-M’s history, from feature stories to comprehensive archival collections.

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The Law School’s underground library addition in November of 1984! 📖

Built just three years before this picture was taken, this unusual space answered a desperate need.

The original Law Library was overflowing with books at the time! 🏛️

To avoid breaking up the beauty of the Law Quad, architect Gunnar Birkerts decided to do something unusual: bring the library underground!

But this choice came with its own set of challenges. Alumni worried that the space would be dark and cramped.

Birkerts' solution was to add enormous paneled windows, jutting deep into the earth, to let in lots of natural light! ☀️

“The angular skylight of the new underground law library should help brighten diligent law students' subterranean studies, and sharpen their knowledge of the law," the Michigan Daily wrote in 1981.

If you’re curious to learn more about this building, the Gunnar Birkerts and Associates records live on in the Bentley’s archives!

You can also check out the U-M Heritage Project article “The Law School Goes Under” for more history about this iconic underground space.

📸: Gunnar Birkerts and Associates records

#UMich #LawLibrary #LawQuad #LawSchool #MichiganHistory #GunnarBirkerts

Meet Krystel Anderson! ⭐

“I am excited to work with historical materials, it feels like a really hands-on way to engage with history!” Krystel says.

Krystel is a student who works at the Bentley Historical Library, helping us make sure that archival papers relating to Native American history are properly handled.

She has a BA in Psychology with a Minor in Native American Studies, and she is currently working towards her MSI in Library Science at U-M's School of Information! 📖

“I am interested in the intersection of traditional knowledge and digital curation,” Krystel says, “Essentially, how we can better incorporate indigenous knowledge, and community standards, into digital preservation efforts.”

In the future, she would like to work in an academic library, or archive, helping community organizations keep their digital history safe. 💻💙

Welcome, Krystel!

#Archives #UMich #History #HistoricalLibrary #MSI #NativeAmericanHistory #OurStudentsAreAwesome

Honoring veterans past and present. ❤️

On this day in 1918, World War I ended, and an armistice was declared.

Ann Arbor factories blew whistles, bells rang, and students gathered around a bonfire “sending up cheer after cheer,” according to the Michigan Daily!

"The whole town turned itself into a personification of the Oh-Say-Can-You-See spirit,” the Daily wrote.

“An abundance of flags practically buried the city in their folds while bunting and other decorations were liberally scattered over every available object.”

Everything from streetcars to fire trucks turned out for Ann Arbor’s armistice parade, and people filled the streets with confetti.

Armistice Day would eventually become Veterans Day, honoring all who have serve.

After World War I ended, the U-M yearbook published a 1919 memorial volume dedicated to the efforts of those who fought in World War I, titled the “War Record.”

This remarkable book still survives in the archives today, and is available for anyone to view.

Click through to see pictures of this memorial yearbook from 1919, commemorating the efforts of U-M’s students, faculty, and staff, during World War I.

📸: University of Michigan Photograph Vertical File, World War I, and the 1919 War Record memorial yearbook

#VeteransDay #AnnArbor #ArmisticeDay #WorldWarI #WWI #Veterans #MichiganHistory

Need a peaceful moment? 💙

Here's a historic photo of U-M architect Allen Pond holding four kittens, and sitting next to a small dog!

Fun fact: Allen Pond was one of the Pond & Pond architects, a brother duo who designed the Michigan Union and the Michigan League! ⭐

📸: Pond Family papers

#UMich #MichiganHistory #AllenPond #Peaceful #Kittens #FlashbackFriday

Voting at the Michigan League in 1968! ⭐

🏛️ Several iconic U-M buildings have served as polling places over the years, including the League, the Michigan Union, and Mosher Hall!

So, if you voted at UMMA this year, you’re part of a long historic tradition. 😊

Here are a few other fun facts about U-M’s voting history:

✅ Long before computers, telegraphs were used to send election updates to Ann Arbor!

🎱 Historic U-M students could see voting results projected via lanterns onto large curtains, or written on blackboards in gathering places, like the local billiards hall!

💡 One local newspaper also flashed search lights into the sky in order to share updates on an early presidential election!

"Interested in the identity of the next president of the United States? If so, watch the sky in the vicinity of the Ann Arbor Press building on Maynard street tonight,” the 1912 Michigan Daily announced.

“The Michigan Daily will operate a search-light from the roof above its offices, flashing the election returns at short intervals.”

“If Wilson is leading the light will be sent straight up into the air; in case Roosevelt is in the lead, the light will be sent up in broken flashes; if Taft is ahead, the light will be sent from side to side in half-circles.”

Vote to make your own mark on history! ⭐

Click through to see more photos of voters at the Michigan League in 1968!

📸: News and Information Photographs, 1968

#ElectionDay #UMich #MichiganHistory #AnnArbor #UMichVotes

On this day 100 years ago, this photo was snapped of U-M football player Benny Friedman, intercepting a pass in midair! 🏈

This 1924 football game featured the Michigan Wolverines and the Minnesota Golden Gophers, who competed while the Little Brown Jug trophy waited patiently on the sidelines. 🏆

(The trophy was given its own special pedestal.)

Despite the fact that the Wolverines’ team captain was resting from a foot injury, and couldn’t join them on the field, U-M scored two touchdowns in the first half.

“The Gophers fought valiantly, but couldn’t withstand the tricky plays of the Victors,” the Michigan Daily wrote; ultimately, U-M won 13 to 0.

A lucky photographer snapped this photo just as Friedman was catching the football in mid-air!

📸: Athletic Department records, 1924

#OTD #UMich #Wolverines #FootballHistory #LittleBrownJug #100YearsAgo

Happy Halloween from the archives! 🎃

We’re celebrating by sharing tricks and treats from Michigan’s history!

🦄 Historical Trick: In 1954, the Michigan Daily reported sightings of a “unicorn” in the Law Quad!

The unicorn was actually a horse named Whirlaway, loaned by a local farmer to U-M student Theodore Swift.

Theodore planned to fasten a conical hat, striped “in the fashion of a barber pole,” to the horse’s head, according to his later description of the event, in the Law Quad Notes.

This prank was inspired by the cartoon movie, “The Unicorn in the Garden,” which was playing in Ann Arbor at the time!

Historical Treat: In 1980, School of Music students dressed up in Halloween costumes for a musical performance—and dressed up their instruments, too! 🎩

Pictures in the News and Information collection in the archives show several of the cellos and basses wearing hats, including a cowboy hat, and a witch’s hat!

Click through for another treat, and another trick, from the archives!

Have a wonderful Halloween, and Go Boo! 💙🎃

You can learn more about the “Unicorn in the Garden” incident in Michigan Today writer Jim Tobin’s piece “When Animals Went to School,” and you can find more historical photos like the ones seen in this post in the Bentley’s Online Image Bank!

#HappyHalloween #Archives #MichiganHistory #TrickOrTreat #GoBoo

Meet your archivists (and their cats! 🐈)

We’re excited to share some fun facts about some of the amazing archivists and librarians who work at U-M, along with their beloved feline friends!

Discover the answers to questions like:

🥋 Which Special Collections archivist has a Black Belt in Taekwondo?

🕓 Which cat wants to eat dinner at 4 AM?

🏈 Which Bentley Historical Library archivist has seen 25 varsity sports live?

💕 Which cat likes to snuggle?

⚽ Which Clements Library cataloger played soccer in high school?

📖 Which cat likes hiding in bookshelves and pretending to be a book?

Click through to see the answers! ❤️🐾 And feel free to share fun facts about your cat, too!

Happy National Cat Day 🤝 Happy American Archives Month!

#Archivists #Cats #NationalCatDay #AmericanArchivesMonth #Cute #CatsAreSoGood

Meet Marc Tsuno! ⭐

“I love working in archives, because not only am I handling unique historical material, but also I can play an active role in making these amazing materials accessible!” Marc says.

Marc is currently helping process a large collection, including audio and video recordings from U-M’s history! 🎥

“Many of these materials have preservation concerns,” Marc points out, “So it's important that we process this collection to make sure it's available to researchers and the public well into the future.”

A new student assistant at the Bentley, Marc has a BA in History, with a minor in Museum Studies, and he is currently working towards his MSI in Library Science at U-M.

In the future, Marc hopes to continue working in archives, helping library patrons find what they need for their research.

He also hopes to continue his work preserving historic videos and audio recordings so that everyone can enjoy them!

Welcome to the Bentley, Marc! 🎉

Click through to learn more about the collection Marc is working on in the archives. 📖

#BentleyHistoricalLibrary #Archives #UMich #OldVideos #Preservation #Welcome #OurStudentsAreAwesome

On this day in 1927, Michigan Stadium was officially dedicated with a football game against Ohio State! 🏈

Here are five fun facts you might not know about Michigan Stadium’s dedication game:

🪵 Extra wooden bleachers were added around the top of the stadium to create seating for the large crowd!

🌼 The captains of both teams were presented with massive bouquets of flowers during the opening ceremonies!

🎵 Songs played during the dedication included the “Star Spangled Banner” and “The Yellow and Blue!”

✈️ Local planes “made of nuisance of themselves” by flying overhead, according to the Detroit Free Press!

(Footage from one of these planes even survives in the archives, showing remarkable aerial views of the stadium.)

🎺 The Michigan and Ohio State bands both performed, forming the initials of their teams on the field!

“As a football spectacle,” the Michigan Alumnus magazine wrote about U-M’s 21-0 victory, “It wholly surpassed anything in Michigan history.”

The crowd's size was described as "nearly triple" the population of Ann Arbor at the time!

Click through to see a panoramic photo of the dedication game, from over 90 years ago! ⭐

📸: Photo from the University of Michigan Photographs Vertical Files

#OTD #MichiganStadium #Umich #FootballHistory #GoBlue #Wolverines #Dedication #1920s

Find U-M’s historical libraries on campus! 🔎

Here are three historical libraries at U-M, and how you can visit them:

⭐ The William L. Clements Library is located snuggly between Shapiro, Hatcher, and the President’s house!

At the Clements Library, you can see historical resources about the Americas, especially 18th and 19th century American history.

You are welcome to make an appointment to visit the reading room on Central Campus, or you can visit to see the rotating reading room exhibit any weekday from 12-4pm!

⭐ The Bentley Historical Library is located on North Campus!

At the Bentley, you can see all kinds of U-M and state of Michigan history, including old yearbooks, football photos, and more.

You are welcome to drop in during the Bentley’s open hours, Monday through Friday, 10 AM to 4 PM! No appointment is required.

⭐ The Special Collections Research Center is located on the 6th floor (Room 660) of Hatcher Library!

At the Special Collections Research Center, you can see important collections of unique, rare, primary source, and other materials.

You are welcome to visit the Special Collections Research Center on the 6th floor of the Hatcher Library, by appointment, Wednesday through Friday.

Classes and visitors are welcome in Special Collections presentation and exhibit spaces throughout the work week!

Have fun exploring the many historical libraries at U-M! 📖

#UMich #Libraries #Archives #VisitTheLibrary #KnowYourResources #HereToHelp #SupportYourLocalLibrary #AmericanArchivesMonth

How people assume you use U-M’s historical libraries, vs. how you actually use them! ⭐

One of the most common assumptions people make about the archives is that everything is locked away in an ivory tower that only very serious researchers can visit.

In fact, anyone is welcome to visit the Clements Library, the Bentley Historical Library, or the Special Collections Research Center at U-M!

No University of Michigan affiliation is required. We’re here to help you! 📖💙

Click through to learn more about what people assume about historical libraries, vs. the reality!

#AmericanArchivesMonth #Mythbusting #Archives #UMich #HistoricalLibraries #SupportYourLocalLibrary #WeAreHereToHelp #HappyResearching!

In 1920s Ann Arbor, you could watch football in Hill Auditorium! 🏈

Years before they could gather in the living room to watch games on TV, Michigan fans would visit Hill Auditorium to watch away games on a machine called a “grid-graph!”

The grid-graph, seen here, was a glass board, covered in carefully labeled lights. 💡

Those lights helped fans track who had the ball, what the score was, whether there had been a touchdown, and even where the football was on the field!

The Michigan Daily described it as “a miniature electric football gridiron.”

Purchased in 1922, and initially used by the Alumni Association to help students watch football games that were happening far away, the grid-graph grew so popular that it started being used in Hill Auditorium for away games!

"Cheerleaders will lead the crowd, and it is expected that a true football atmosphere will prevail, as it did last fall,” the 1923 Michigan Daily announced.

When they weren’t accompanying the football team, the U-M band would also come play songs in Hill Auditorium during these games, filling the space with music! 🎵

Are you planning on watching the Michigan game this weekend?

📸: Images from the Athletic Department records, and the U-M Vertical Photograph Files

#UMich #TBT #FootballHistory #GoBlue #Wolverines #Athletics #AnnArbor #HillAuditorium

Meet Carole Chee, our new Reference Assistant! ⭐

“I'm a recent graduate of Hope College, where I double majored in English Literature and Women's & Gender Studies," Carole says.

"I'm passionate about the power of stories to foster empathy, curiosity, and community!”

Now, Carole assists with archival research at the Bentley!

Here are just a few of the things she does in the archives:

🖥️ Answering online reference questions from around the world!

📨 Sending out interlibrary loans of historic microfilm!

📖 Helping patrons access archival books, papers, photos, and more!

“For first-time visitors, my advice is to be unafraid of asking questions!” Carole says.

“We really are here to help. These files and stories are here for you to delve into and fall in love with.”

Welcome to the Bentley, Carole! 🎉

📸: Carole on a visit to the Colosseum, earlier this year, showcasing her interest in history

#Archives #Welcome #ArchivesWork #NewHire #ReferenceAssistant #OurStaffAreAwesome

We’re excited to share six newly processed historic collections from U-M libraries! 📖

Our archivists are always working behind the scenes to make sure everyone can explore historic papers and photos like these!

From the William L. Clements Library:

✏️ A sketchbook from William H. Whiton of Tennessee, with drawings of his life, business, and politics, from over 160 years ago!

🚢 A sketchbook from Worden G. Wood, who served in the US Navy during the Spanish-American War in 1898, including sketches of ships.

From the Bentley Historical Library:

🎨 The Jon Lockard papers, from a Michigan artist & professor who helped advise on the creation of the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial!

🍎 The papers of teacher and World War II veteran W. Scott Westerman, including clippings about his work for equal rights in Ann Arbor schools.

From the Special Collections Research Center:

🖋️ The Victor Perera Papers, documenting the life and work of Victor Perera, Sephardic-American writer, journalist, and political activist, born in Guatemala in 1934.

📚 The Eleanor Leacock Papers, created by a prominent Marxist and feminist anthropologist, full of details about feminist theory, and the history of racism in American education in the 1940s-1980s.

October is American Archives Month, so it’s a great time to go visit U-M’s many libraries and archives, to learn about history!

How many libraries have you visited at U-M? 📖💙

#NewCollections #UMich #Archives #Libraries #SupportYourLocalLibrary #ClementsLibrary #SpecialCollections #BentleyHistoricalLibrary #AmericanArchivesMonth

⭐ Here are a few finds from the archives that really surprise people:

🌼 A historic valentine with pop-up paper flowers that seem to bloom when you open the card!

🐥 Parrot feathers labeled with the parrots’ names, in an old scrapbook!

🎸 Large group photos of U-M's early “Mandolin Club!" (It was surprisingly popular!)

Test your archives knowledge! Click through to see a quick quiz about what else you can find at the Bentley Historical Library.

What’s the coolest thing you’ve ever seen in the archives?

#Archives #AmericanArchivesMonth #BentleyHistoricalLibrary #MichiganHistory #TestYourKnowledge #PopQuiz

🕑 Views of Ann Arbor’s Main Street from over 100 years ago!

Here are just a few of the things you could have seen on Ann Arbor’s Main Street, in its early history:

🐴 Horse-drawn carts carrying groceries to a local store

⚡ Electric streetcars, running on wires and rails

🧱 A dirt road that was paved over with bricks

📰 The “Ann Arbor Argus” building, home of an early local newspaper

🎀 Striped awnings and beautifully-draped curtains

Do you spot any buildings you recognize?

If you want to see more photos like these, check out the Sam Sturgis photo collection, and the Postcard collection!

📸: Photos sourced from the Sam Sturgis photo collection, and the Postcard collection

#AnnArbor #AnnArborHistory #LocalHistory #ElectricStreetcar #BrickRoad #FlashbackFriday

⭐ Archival myth-busting, in honor of American Archives Month!

Did you know that the archives are more than just papers and books? 📖

The Bentley's archives also contain digitized newspapers, thousands of scanned photos, and more! 🖥️

Click through to see some more archival myth-busting, and let us know if you have any other questions about the archives!

Happy American Archives Month! 🎉

#AmericanArchivesMonth #Archives #Mythbusting #BentleyHistoricalLibrary #MichiganHistory #SupportYourLocalLibrary

Do you know the origins of the Little Brown Jug? 🏈

This rivalry trophy between Michigan and Minnesota has a long history, stretching all the way back to 1903! 🕑

That year, during an exciting game that ended in a 6 to 6 tie, the Michigan Wolverines ended up leaving behind a five-gallon pottery jug.

The Minnesota Golden Gophers claimed this jug, and painted it with the words: “Michigan jug, captured by Oscar, October 31, 1903.”

(Oscar Munson was the Gophers' equipment manager at the time!)

They also painted the game's score on the jug, with Minnesota's "6" much larger than Michigan's.

U-M did not notice the jug was missing until years later, when the captain of the Golden Gophers proposed it as a trophy for the winners of their 1909 football game!

And thus, one of the oldest rivalry trophies of Michigan’s football history was born. 🏆

Congratulations to the Wolverines for taking home the Little Brown Jug once more! 🎉

What’s your favorite football rivalry from Michigan's long history?

📸: Images sourced from the Henry Hatch photos, Athletic Department records, and the News & Information photos

#LittleBrownJug #Wolverines #UMich #FootballHistory #RivalryTrophy #FootballRivalry #GoBlue

When you think of fall in Ann Arbor, what do you imagine? 🍁 Beautiful leaves, football games, and crisp autumn air?

Well, if you were a graduate in U-M’s early history, you might also think about banquets, dances, the glow of the old General Library’s clockface at night, or fireworks sparkling in the sky above Ann Arbor’s train depot!

Lots of wonderful fall memories from Ann Arbor history are preserved in the Alumnae Surveys in the archives, including responses from many of the first women who ever attended U-M.

Click through to read about some of those alumni’s fondest fall memories of Ann Arbor. 😊🍂

What are your favorite things to do in Ann Arbor in the fall?

#AnnArbor #UMich #Fall #Autumn #Memories #Alumni #StudentLife

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