April 26, 1923 - Ground was broken for Memorial Stadium. It was built to commemorate the men and women who served in World War I. This comes from the "Nebraska's 150th Anniversary" Facebook page:
On April 26, 1923, a stadium groundbreaking ceremony was held, at which Chancellor Samuel Avery turned the first earth with a plow and team.
Memorial Stadium on the University of Nebraska campus in Lincoln is the center of the state’s attention during the Huskers’ home football games. It was built to commemorate the men and women who served in World War I, which began more than one hundred years ago in 1914.
The stadium was constructed without state funding, replacing the antecedent Nebraska Field, and was financed by pledges made by university students, staff, alumni and boosters. Campus fundraising officially began on May 20, 1920. In early June the Lincoln and Omaha campaigns began. County committees were set up to canvass the rest of the state. However, a faltering economy and resistance from some local editors, American Legion chapters, and bank managers brought the campaign to a halt. In late 1921, the fund drive was terminated and the Memorial Association reorganized. The target amount was reduced, and the gymnasium-stadium complex was scaled back to a stadium only.
The Nebraska Memorial Association aggressively sought contributions and pledges from students and others around the state. It promised that home games would be played in the new stadium in the fall of 1923. When enough pledges had been subscribed, although not all had been collected, the association risked letting contracts. Construction began in the summer of 1923.
Nebraska played its first game in the new stadium on October 13, 1923, against the University of Oklahoma. Memorial Stadium was dedicated a week later on October 20 at the homecoming game against the University of Kansas. The stadium never included all the features that the first war memorial plans called for, such as a museum or friezes. However, the state finally had a usable stadium which, with later additions and improvements, would serve the university's nationally recognized football program.
On April 26, 1923, a stadium groundbreaking ceremony was held, at which Chancellor Samuel Avery turned the first earth with a plow and team.
Memorial Stadium on the University of Nebraska campus in Lincoln is the center of the state’s attention during the Huskers’ home football games. It was built to commemorate the men and women who served in World War I, which began more than one hundred years ago in 1914.
The stadium was constructed without state funding, replacing the antecedent Nebraska Field, and was financed by pledges made by university students, staff, alumni and boosters. Campus fundraising officially began on May 20, 1920. In early June the Lincoln and Omaha campaigns began. County committees were set up to canvass the rest of the state. However, a faltering economy and resistance from some local editors, American Legion chapters, and bank managers brought the campaign to a halt. In late 1921, the fund drive was terminated and the Memorial Association reorganized. The target amount was reduced, and the gymnasium-stadium complex was scaled back to a stadium only.
The Nebraska Memorial Association aggressively sought contributions and pledges from students and others around the state. It promised that home games would be played in the new stadium in the fall of 1923. When enough pledges had been subscribed, although not all had been collected, the association risked letting contracts. Construction began in the summer of 1923.
Nebraska played its first game in the new stadium on October 13, 1923, against the University of Oklahoma. Memorial Stadium was dedicated a week later on October 20 at the homecoming game against the University of Kansas. The stadium never included all the features that the first war memorial plans called for, such as a museum or friezes. However, the state finally had a usable stadium which, with later additions and improvements, would serve the university's nationally recognized football program.
