Cannon Schultz, a University of Tennessee at Chattanooga first-year political science major and history minor, has “always been consumed by history and inspired by the fluidity of our changing society.” As a life-long Chattanooga resident, he said he has grown accustomed to campus and is fascinated by its history.
“Searching through the digital archives, I found photos taken throughout the 20th century that stunned me,” Schultz said. “Buildings that no longer exist are forever cemented in those photos and any person has the capability to see what lies in their place now.”
He said he felt motivated by what he saw and decided to replicate the photos. He edited the new images alongside the old ones, carefully aligning the angles and landmarks to create a blend of past and present.
What follows is Schultz’s retelling of the history behind the campus photos.
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The University has undergone dramatic transformations in its almost 140-year history. After many renovations across the decades, much of its grounds remain unrecognizable from its humble founding. Photos taken throughout the 20th century can be compared to what the campus looks like today.
1917 vs. 2025: Founders Hall and Old Main from McCallie Avenue. Original photo courtesy of UTC Digital Collections.
The Old Main building was built in 1886, serving as the entirety of the University, where it housed administration, classrooms and the library.
The Administration Building was constructed in 1916 to its immediate left, giving way to Old Main’s lonely perch on the hill. Hooper Hall and Race Hall flanked it on its right and would surround the structure.
Old Main was torn down in 1917 and the buildings that encircled it would use some of its material. The impressive structure now looms like a ghost in the photo, reminding those of its once prowess.
1940s vs. 2025: Founders Hall. Original photo courtesy of UTC Digital Collections.
This 1940s photograph shows a worker atop a ladder fixing the clock on the Administration Building. The building, renamed Founders Hall in 1950 to honor those who established the school, housed the University’s library for the next 22 years. Every president and chancellor since its completion would have their office in Founders Hall.
1968 vs. 2025: Alumni Memorial Gateway from McCallie Avenue. Original photo courtesy of UTC Digital Collections.
Students at UTC are pictured here standing and chatting in front of the Alumni Memorial Gateway off McCallie Avenue in 1968. A year later, the University of Chattanooga would join the University of Tennessee system, becoming what we know it as today, the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga.
The original brick and mortar was adorned with a new sign, reflecting the name change of the school and the slow evolution of campus.
1960s vs. 2025: Guerry Center from Oak Street. Original photo courtesy of UTC Digital Collections.
A congregation of pledges wait outside of Guerry Center in this photo taken in the 1970s. Students watch from a distance on the steps and grass, sitting in front of where Lockmiller Apartments would be built in 1982 and 1986.
The Guerry Center was built in 1974 and was first called the University Student Center before it was renamed after the University’s seventh president, Alexander Guerry.
1940s vs. 2025: South Stadium and Chamberlain Field. Original photo courtesy of UTC Digital Collections.
From 1908 to 1997, Chamberlain Field served as UTC’s football stadium. Large stands on either side of the long stretch of the field used to hold 10,000 spectators. The South Stadium once sat along Oak Street, in front of Hooper and Race halls.
1965 aerial photo of the UTC campus with key present locations marked. Original photo courtesy of UTC Digital Collections.
This aerial photo of the then University of Chattanooga campus shows the extreme renovations the campus has undergone over the past 60 years. From McKenzie Arena to Lupton Hall, the majority of the buildings on campus weren’t yet in existence.
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