The Columns — The six Ionic Columns that stand in the center of Francis Quadrangle are all that remain of the old Academic Hall that was destroyed by fire on Jan. 9, 1892. They remain to honor the many generations of students and faculty who have passed under their shadow. Academic Hall, constructed in 1841, was the University of Missouri's first building.

Jesse Hall — Jesse Hall, built in 1893 to replace old Academic Hall, is MU's main administration building. Named in honor of retired university president Richard Henry Jesse, the building has welcomed thousands of actors, musicians and lecturers on its stage, including Amelia Earhart in 1936, actor and MU alumnus George C. Scott in 1950 and singer Ella Fitzgerald in 1959. Each year, outside lights are covered with colored theatrical gel that casts the Jesse Hall dome in different colors, such as green for Engineers Week and gold for Homecoming.

Memorial Union — Following World War I MU students launched a penny and nickel fundraising drive to honor the 114 students killed in the war. Memorial Union was built for this purpose. The names of all those killed are inscribed in the archway. After World War II, the union was rededicated to honor those students killed in the war. It is a tradition that all students, faculty and staff remove their hats and speak in a hushed tone when passing through the arch to honor their fallen brethren.

School of Journalism Lions — Two stone lions located in the J-School archway, a gift from the Chinese government in 1931, were carved at the birthplace of Confucius and are more than 600 years old. Walter Williams, who started the world's first school of journalism at Mizzou in 1908, made certain that the Missouri Method reached students outside the U.S. by training journalists from China and bringing a World Press Congress to Missouri.

Sanborn Field — MU is home to Sanborn Field, the oldest continuously used research plot west of the Mississippi River. Sanborn Field is the site of landmark studies in crop rotation that are the basis for today's sustainable agriculture. In addition, a 1945 sample discovered in Plot 23 on Sanborn provided the golden mold used to make the penicillin-like wonder drug aureomycin. The sample is now at the Smithsonian Institution.

MU Museums — The vase at left is an example from the Museum of Art and Archaeology's ancient collection of glass vessels. The museum possesses the third most extensive art collection in Missouri. At right is a Tlingit House Post and Gable Figure on display at the Museum of Anthropology. These architectural pieces are common to the traditional plank houses made by southeastern Alaskan tribes. MU's Museum of Anthropology is the only anthropology museum in Missouri and one of only a few in the Midwest.

Jefferson Monument — Unveiled on July 4, 1885, the Jefferson Monument is the original tombstone of Thomas Jefferson from Monticello. It is located in front of The Residence on Francis Quadrangle where MU Chancellor Brady Deaton and his wife Anne live. Thomas Jefferson’s ideal of an “academical village” in which students would receive a broad education in the arts and sciences is the model for today’s American university. As the first public university in Jefferson’s Louisiana Purchase territory, MU reflects many of Jefferson’s ideals

Future Possibilities

The two options below don't yet have a rich history surrounding them, but they are fully poised to become irreplaceable campus landmarks.


Tiger Plaza — Dedicated in October 2002, Tiger Plaza serves as a permanent reminder of the connection between Mizzou and its alumni. The site includes landscaping, a cascading waterfall featuring the MU alma mater and a bronze tiger sculpture created by sculptor Forest Hart. Tiger Plaza was made possible through the donations of Mizzou alumni.

Joy of Discovery — The Joy of Discovery, a work of art dedicated on Sept. 25, 2007, and designed by artist and architect Kenneth F. VonRoenn Jr., is meant to inspire and celebrate research and was made possible by a generous gift from Alvin E. (Al) and Mary Agnes McQuinn. The four-story-tall suspended sculpture was commissioned as a centerpiece for the McQuinn Atrium of the Christopher S. Bond Life Sciences Center at MU.

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