Purdue Libraries and School of Information Studies News

From the Archives: A Temporary View

November 5th, 2017

Many buildings have been part of Purdue’s campus landscape over the years.  Some became institutional landmarks while others were here only briefly, built to serve a specific purpose for a limited period of time.  Can you identify the structures in this photograph, their purpose, and where they were located?  Share your theories in the comments and check back on Friday for the whole story!

UPDATE:

Purdue was a military training location during World War I and men from across the country traveled to West Lafayette before shipping out to other parts of the world.  To accommodate the influx of so many new people on campus, many of whom stayed for just a few weeks before being replaced by the next group of recruits, the university constructed temporary military barracks on the north side of campus in what had been farmland.  This photograph looks south toward the barracks that sat on the site of the current Mechanical Engineering Building with the tower of Heavilon Hall visible in the background.  They were demolished shortly after World War I ended in 1918.

Interior scene of Company 5 Barracks photographed in Fall 1918.

Please join us again for our final From the Archives photo of the year on Monday, December 4.