Unions' Public Art Blog

The University of Missouri's main campus in Columbia is known for its striking architectural features. Over the years the university campus has undergone several changes to reflect the changes in the student body and academic life. Often divided into Red Campus and White Campus, based on the red brick and white limestone used to construct buildings, Mizzou's campus is both beautiful and unique. Architecture Spotlights Red Campus - Jesse Hall Located on Red Campus, Jesse Hall was built in 1895 under the eye of architect Morris Frederic Bell. It was named after Richard Henry Jesse, the 8th president of the University. Many of the Red Campus buildings, like Jesse, are influenced by Greek and Roman architecture, which was popular during the mid-18th century in Europe.  Jesse Hall was built to replace Academic Hall which burned down in 1892. When first built, Jesse was used to house students, hold classes, and acted as part of the library.  It is now home to several offices of admin

  The Savitar is the yearbook of the University of Missouri and was first published in 1894. This yearly publication contains photographs and memories of members of the university community, class photos, important campus events, and highlights of the previous years.  The name Savitar traces its origins to Hindu mythology and the Sun-god of Rig-Veda. The root of the word "su," means to dry or stimulate. Savitar and its alternate, Surya, denotes splendor of the luminary and irresistible energy - he is the god who sees all things and notes all the good and evil deeds of men.    Research conducted by the university libraries indicates that the students likely had more aesthetic reasons for choosing the name Savitar, as the editors liked the size and sound of the word. There is also reason to believe that student editors got their idea for the title from Semitic and modern languages professor James Shannon Blackwell, who worked at Mizzou from 1886 to 1897. He was