Students take a stand against Vietnam: Madison was once a breeding ground for war protests that had more of an impact than the disorganized signs that flutter around Library Mall today. The escalating conflict in Vietnam during the late '60s and early '70s brought many student protests and clashes with authorities around the UW-Madison campus that started the university's reputation as a hotbed for political activism. The first major confrontation was a response to on-campus recruiters for Dow Chemical, which supplied napalm used in Vietnam. Perhaps more well known was the bombing of Sterling Hall, which resulted in the accidental death of one physics researcher, Robert Fassnacht. The men responsible fled to Canada after the incident, but were tracked by the FBI. All were caught but one, Leo Burt, who remains on the FBI's ten most wanted fugitives list. A young UW: One of the biggest public universities in the country had a much more humble beginning with a grand total of 17 students in its first graduating class in 1849. North Hall, constructed in 1851 as the campus's first building, served as a sort of all-in-one building, containing lecture halls, laboratories, a library, chapel and living quarters. The next building constructed was South Hall in 1855, followed by University Hall in 1859. Women were first admitted to the university in 1863. Memorial Union did not open until 1928. Famous UW attendees: • John Muir (1863) Father of the national park system • Frank Lloyd Wright (1890) Architect • Arthur C. Nielsen Sr. (1918) Founder of the Nielsen Company • Charles Lindbergh (1924) Trans-Atlantic aviator • Bud Selig (1956) Commissioner, Major League Baseball • Dick Cheney (1968) Current U.S. vice president • Charlie Trotter (1982) Chef From battlefield to football field: Though today most students think of Camp Randall as home of our beloved red and white troops, almost 150 years ago the grounds were used by a much different set of troops. When it was first built, the stadium was used by the Wisconsin Agricultural Society as the state fair grounds. After the outbreak of the Civil War in 1861, the stadium became a training center for U.S. soldiers and was aptly named for Wisconsin's first wartime governor, Alexander W. Randall. After the war, the land returned to state fair property. The fair later moved to Milwaukee, and war vets urged the legislature to purchase the land. In 1893, the state presented the site to the university as a memorial athletic field. It primarily served the track and field teams until 1895 when it was first used for football in a 6-0 Badger victory over the Minnesota Gophers. It was not officially dedicated until Nov. 3, 1917 at homecoming against Minnesota. In 1922, the building burned down and work began on a new stadium in July 1923. The additions completed for the 1965 season brought Camp Randall to its current capacity of 80,321. A home fit for a king:
It might be hard to believe this city ever offered living accommodations more luxurious than a 12x12 square. Well, believe it. Madison once boasted a castle of its very own, complete with two towers that rose high above Lake Mendota at what is now 930 E Gorham St. Though the castle is now demolished, its original stone was used to build parts of the home of Professor J. L. Tormey on 137 E Gorham St. The original building was constructed in 1863 by Benjamin Walker who modeled the castle after his home in England. Three years later, it was sold and stood empty for years until it was torn down for its stone. Ku Klux Klan demonstrations: Though known for its tolerance and open-mindedness today, the city of Madison has shockingly enough also experienced the work of the KKK firsthand. The extremist group first appeared in Wisconsin in 1920 and in 1924 staged its first parade in Madison. There was little visible disorder as a result of the demonstration, and the Klan did not manage to garner much support in the area. By 1928 it had mostly disappeared. Interesting facts: • 1898 saw UW-Madison music instructor Henry Dyke Sleeper write ""Varsity,"" the university's traditional alma mater song. • William Purdy and Carl Beck wrote ""On, Wisconsin"" in 1909, which became the fight song for UW athletic teams. • In 1933, the UW-Madison became the first university to sell alcohol on premises, in the newly-built, German-themed Rathskeller, overlooking the Terrace. Two cities, four buildings, one fire: Madison's trademark white dome looming on the end of State Street has much more than just a political history. The state's first capital was actually in Belmont, a town 65 miles southwest of Madison. In 1836 the Legislature moved the capital from Belmont to Madison. In 1837, a second capitol building was to be constructed on the hill between Lake Mendota and Lake Monona, the site still used today. The second building was soon deemed too small and concern arose over the building's construction, particularly fire hazards. In 1857 construction began on a third capitol building. Ironically enough, it was not even 50 years until the gas jets set a recently-varnished Capitol ceiling on fire and ultimately left the entire ""fire safe"" building in ashes. The fourth attempt was completed in 1917 and still serves as Madison's Capitol. Politics turned deadly: Think the gun control debate in the Capitol is heated today? Well, the argument between Rep. Zien and Rep. Gundrum pales in comparison to those of their predecessors. During a break in the proceedings of an 1842 Assembly session, a dispute started when Rep. James R. Arndt accused fellow Representative Charles C.P. Vineyard of lying. As tensions escalated, Arndt punched Vineyard in the head and proceeded to draw a gun and shoot him in the chest. Vineyard died of the injury.
