Explore the University of Kentucky

Curated by Kentucky Historical Society

The history of the University of Kentucky (UK) is intimately connected to the commonwealth's past, present, and future.

To commemorate that history, in 1994, UK and the Kentucky Historical Society (KHS) created the UK Senior Challenge Historical Marker Project.



This program, which allows each graduating senior class to leave a memorial to the university, creates a special historical marker that notes important people and places affiliated with the history of the university.

Each year a UK historical marker committee picks a topic, raises funds for the marker, researches and writes the text, and works with KHS to produce the marker.


"Explore UK History" is a tour of the nineteen special historical markers on the UK campus.


Adolph F. Rupp (1901-1977)

Historical Marker #1826 , which was erected in front of Memorial Coliseum in 1988, before the Senior Challenge Historical Marker Project began, honors Adolph Frederick Rupp. He was born to Mennonite German parents in Halstead, Kansas, in 1901 and was…

Aristides

Given to the University of Kentucky by the class of 2011, Historical Marker #2381 honors Aristides, the winner of the first Kentucky Derby. In May 1875, an estimated 10,000 racing fans watched the first running of the Kentucky Derby in Louisville.…

Thomas Hunt Morgan

Given to the University of Kentucky by the class of 2010, Historical Marker #2342 honors Thomas Hunt Morgan. Born in Lexington on September 25, 1866, he was the eldest child of Charlton Hunt Morgan and a nephew of Confederate cavalryman John Hunt…

Margaret I. King Library

Given to the University of Kentucky by the class of 2009, Historical Marker #2315 commemorates the Margaret I. King Library. Margaret Isadora King was born in Lexington on September 1, 1879. She graduated from the University of Kentucky in 1898 and…

What's In a Name?

Given to the University of Kentucky by the class of 2008, historical marker #2289 commemorates how the University of Kentucky got its name. In 1865, the Agricultural and Mechanical College of Kentucky (A&M) was established as part of the private…

Stoll Field

Given to the University of Kentucky by the class of 2007, Historical Marker #2262 commemorates Stoll Field. The field was the site of the first intercollegiate game ever played south of the Mason-Dixon Line on April 9, 1880. Kentucky University (now…

Thomas D. Clark, 1903-2005

Given to the University of Kentucky by the class of 2006, Historical Marker #2232 honors historian Thomas D. Clark. Born on July 14, 1903, in Louisville, Mississippi, he graduated from the University of Mississippi with an A. B. in 1928. He went on…

Kentucky Kernel

Given to the University of Kentucky by the class of 2005, historical marker #2169 commemorates the "Kentucky Kernel." Preceded by several earlier student newspapers, the first Kentucky Kernel was published on September 16, 1915. By 1923, it…

Main Building

Given to the university by the class of 2004, Historical Marker #2138 commemorates the Main Building. It opened in 1882 and was known as the Main or College Building. It is the only surviving building out of four original structures located here when…

Patterson Hall

Given to the University of Kentucky by the class of 2003, Historical Marker #2106 commemorates Patterson Hall. When women finally obtained campus housing in 1904, twenty-four years after the first woman enrolled at UK, this hall was opened. It was…

Memorial Hall

Given to the University of Kentucky by the class of 2002, Historical Marker #2089 commemorates Memorial Hall. Completed in 1929 as a memorial to Kentuckians who died in World War I, the building was financed by statewide contributions. The interior…

Barker Hall and Buell Armory

Given to the University of Kentucky by the class of 2001, Historical Marker #2070 commemorates Barker Hall and Buell Armory. Originally known as Alumni Hall, it was dedicated in 1901. The original building was three stories with a gymnasium and a…

Maxwell Place

Given to the University of Kentucky by the class of 2000, Historical Marker #2069 commemorates Maxwell Place. It was built in 1870-72 for Judge James H. Mulligan as a wedding gift from his father, Dennis Mulligan, who was an active and influential…

Desegregation of UK

Given to the University of Kentucky by the class of 1999, Historical Marker #2022 commemorates the desegregation of UK. In 1948, Lyman T. Johnson filed suit for admission to the university. In March 1949, Federal Judge H. Church Ford ruled in…

Scovell Hall

Given to the University of Kentucky by the class of 1998, Historical Marker #2009 commemorates Scovell Hall. The building was opened in 1905, with major additions in 1913 and 1937. Utilizing colonial architecture, it was the largest building on the…

Sarah Blanding

Given to the University of Kentucky by the class of 1997, Historical Marker #2011 honors Sarah Blanding (1898-1985). She was born on a farm in Kentucky in 1898. After graduating from the New Haven Normal School of Gymnastics in 1919, she was hired as…

Gillis Building 1889

Given to the University of Kentucky by the class of 1996, Historical Marker #2012 commemorates the Gillis Building. This building was erected in 1889 as UK's first Agricultural Experiment Station but was destroyed in a fire in 1891. The current…

WBKY-WUKY

Given to the University of Kentucky by the class of 1995, Historical Marker #1966 commemorates radio stations WBKY and WUKY. UK began radio broadcasting in 1929 in cooperation with WHAS in Louisville. Each weekday, live music and educational…

Miller Hall 1898

Given to the University of Kentucky by the class of 1994, Historical Marker #1953 commemorates Miller Hall. Built in 1898 and originally named Science Hall, it was one of the first classroom buildings on the campus. For many years it housed the…

Class Competitions/ Tug of War

Given to the University of Kentucky by the Class of 2012, Historical Marker #2392 commemorates the Class Competitions and Tug of War that were held annually on UK's campus. In the 1900s, these competitions between the freshman and sophomore…