EXHIBITS

Student Facilities Continued

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View of the Merrill Library from the northwest, 1940s
(Utah State University, Merrill-Cazier Library, Special Collections & Archives, USU Historical Photo-board Collection, photo no. USU-A1360)

In 1930, a $175,000 state appropriation enabled construction of the first campus library building. Quickly outgrowing the 80,000-book and 300-student capacity, the university expanded the library in 1966 by essentially building a brick and mortar box around the existing structure. Named for retiring Vice President Milton R. Merrill in 1970, the library again outgrew itself. In 2003, the university planned to conjoin the Science and Technology Library, named after retired President Stanford O. Cazier, with a new facility. The resulting Merrill-Cazier Library opened in 2005, as crews demolished the old Merrill Library. Today, the Stan Albrecht Agriculture Sciences Building occupies the space of the former library.

Greek Row (1940–)

A persistent housing shortage at Utah State made sororities and fraternities popular among students inclined to join these organizations. Most early Greek houses were located throughout downtown Logan. In 1940, the Sigma Chi fraternity built the first house along Greek Row at the corner of seventh North and eighth East. Other fraternities and sororities soon followed.

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Students at the College Bluebird, 1947
(Utah State University, Merrill-Cazier Library, Special Collections & Archives, USU Historical Photo-board Collection, photo no. USU-A0286)

College Bluebird (1920–1974)

While not part of the campus proper, the College Bluebird holds a special place in the heart of many former Aggies. The Cardon family opened the extension of the downtown café on College Hill during the 1920s. The ban on campus smoking, which endured until after WWII, made the “Bird” a favorite hangout for those students and faculty who enjoyed a cigarette with their coffee. Although it remained open until 1974, the Cardon family sold the property to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (formerly known by nicknames like Mormon and LDS) in 1962. Today, sections of the Latter-day Saint Institute of Religion occupy the site of the former College Bluebird.