Fifty years ago, the campus lost an iconic symbol of the University when someone set fire to the Old Main building. Community members and students witnessed the devastation as the building went up in flames on February 8, 1970. The Archives and Area Research Center has collections, newspaper clippings, and photographs that document the disastrous event. However, new materials often are unearthed as students, staff, and community members find forgotten memories in their homes.
Recently, a 1971 graduate of UW-W came across a collection of slides he took the night of the fire and they day after that document the ferocity of the flames and the destruction to the building. They offer a new view of an old event that will be interesting to researchers.
Located in the Archives and Area Research Center , 1st Floor