Original Stadium Site
The original location for both the stadium and a new gymnasium was to be on the portion of the George Baron Miller farm that later was called the North Athletic Field. The university architects, Carrere and Hastings, provided “preliminary small-scale sketches” for the new facilities. In 1922, preparations were made for erecting the stadium at that location.
In pursuance of this plan, cut of about 19 feet on the west side of the plot [next to the Lewisburg Cemetery] was started, and a corresponding fill of about 12 feet was made on the flat along the creek [Miller Run next to Moore Avenue]. The plans under which operations were being carried on anticipated extending the seating over the creek and hence, to hold the fill, a concrete retaining wall 34 inches wide at the base, and 12 to 16 feet in height was erected for a distance of 700 feet. This wall was to have been the main supporting wall for one side of the stadium. Early in September work was suspended for a lack of funds.
During the 1922-23 winter, a faculty committee composed of professors Ephraim M. Heim, Charles K. Lindermann and Frank E. Burpee, who was also Superintendent of Buildings and Grounds, directed the work of Walter Godcharles of Milton, Pa. who was the contractor.“The greater part of the winter was consumed in grading and draining the field and the total cost [probably including the wall, fill, etc.] when operations were suspended amounted to $62, 460.”
By 1923 the Stadium Commission had been formed to raise funds for both the stadium and gymnasium. Arnaud C. Marts who was employed by Ward, Wells, Dreshmann and Gates Co. served as a fund-raising agent for the Commission . After a $500.00.00 campaign that produced total subscriptions amounting to $443,870, the Stadium Commission members “turned their attention to the matter of plans and policies for the work of construction,” and “[t]he question arose as to whether an architect or an engineer should be entrusted with the design.”
The Commission employed Gavin Hadin, a stadium engineer from Buffalo, N.Y. “...to make a preliminary survey of the possibilities and submit a comprehensive report, together with recommendations and preliminary plans from the engineering point of view.” Hadin’s survey “...showed that in order to serve the entire student body best, there should be two separate fields, one for intercollegiate events, such as varsity games in the major sports, and a separate field for the use of the student body as a whole, where necessary out-of-door physical training could be given to all that needed it and desired it, without interfering with the development of varsity teams and inter-scholastic events.”
The Commission adopted the general policy recommended by Hadin and had
plans for the stadium prepared by Carrere and Hastings. As a result “...the
site for the stadium changed from the North Field to an entirely different
site on the south side of the road.”
This map of Lewisburg and Bucknell University was published in a 1922 publication to raise money for the new football stadium. Some of the buildings located on the map are: (1) the President's House; (2) Bucknell Hall; (3) Bower House; (4) Wolfe House; (5) Harris Hall; (6) Bucknell Cottage; (Larison is located between Bucknell Cottage and Harris Hall, which probably accounts for the missing # 7); (8) Chemical Laboratory; (9) The First Building or Biology Building (with the mess hall of the Students'' Army Training Corps attached to it) and the Annex or East Hall; (10) West College; (11) Old Main; (12) East College; (13) Carnegie Library; (14) Observatory; (15) Tustin Gymnasium; (16) the Power Plant; (17) the Foundry; (18) the Engineering Building (the first wing with an indication of the completed building); (19) the proposed Stadium; (22) Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity house; (23) Kappa Sigma fraternity house; (24) Phi Gamma Delta fraternity house; (25) Sigma Chi fraternity house; (26) Delta Sigma fraternity house; (27) the former Groff home that would become the infirmary, which at this time was probably leased to the Kappa Delta Rho fraternity; and (44) the College Inn.
"preliminary small-scale sketches" MBU '19-'31, p. 95
"In pursuance of this plan..." ib.
"The greater part of..." ib.
"turned their attention..." and "[t]he question arose..." ib., p. 96
"...to make a prelimninary..." and the other quotation in this paragraph, ib.
"...the site for..." ib.
The major source for the information on this page is the Memorials of Bucknell University, 1919-1931 (MBU '19-'31).