People often say you can’t know your future without knowing your past. And the same can be said for the future of an academic institution continuing to shape future generations. But, as students, faculty, staff and alumni of the University of Toledo, how well do we know its history? This series, entitled #RocketBlastFromThePast, was started by Juice House as a social media series to discover our shared legacy as Toledo Rockets by diving into the digital archives of the Canaday Center and sharing interesting tidbits and fun facts of UToledo’s rich history that encourages a sense of pride in our institution. Now brought to you as a collection, it’s more than a trip down memory lane; it’s an exploration and transportation from the past to the present, with a vision and inspiration guiding us into a bright future and beyond.
This week’s #rocketblastfromthepast 🚀 takes us back to 1935, when Libbey Hall was built along with Scott and Tucker Halls. These buildings were the first to house students on campus as official residence halls. Constructed during the Great Depression, they were built by Work Progress Administration workers, employed under President Roosevelt’s New Deal.
Libbey Hall was used as the University of Toledo’s first student union, and also held a dormitory on its top floors. Its function changed with the creation of the Lancelot Thompson Student Union in 1959, and today Libbey Hall houses the Office of Undergraduate Admission.
This series is continuing to grow! To stay up to date with new posts in this social media series, follow Juice House at @juicehousetoledo.