University of Arkansas

Mention the University of Arkansas and most people think of the Razorbacks. The University of Arkansas, though, has a celebrated history that includes not only winning athletic teams, but also academic successes. The state’s flagship educational institution was established in 1871 in Fayetteville, located in the scenic Ozark Mountains of northwest Arkansas. The first permanent building on campus, Old Main, is also the most iconic with its towers standing like beacons, attracting students from around the country. In 1948, the University of Arkansas became the first Southern university to integrate when Silas Hunt enrolled in law school. Like Hunt, the lives and accomplishments of individuals, such as Sen. J. William Fulbright and architect E. Fay Jones, remain intertwined with the university and the world. Students, though, are the lifeblood of the university, participating in traditions like homecoming, Senior Walk, and Razorback athletics. These photographs tell the stories of the first 125 years of the University of Arkansas.