Bradley Special Collections & University Archives

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Bradley Special Collections & University Archives We are the Bradley University Archives and the Virginius H. Chase Special Collections Center. We support curriculum and research in wild and crazy ways

10/02/2026

A pop-up exhibit for our alumni! Welcome back to campus!




Happy Homecoming, Braves! Let’s take a look at how Homecoming was celebrated in the past at Bradley University Three gir...
10/02/2026

Happy Homecoming, Braves! Let’s take a look at how Homecoming was celebrated in the past at Bradley University

Three girls prep for Homecoming in 1949.



In October 1949, five girls prepare for the annual Homecoming Stunt Show while their classmate smokes a cigar by the stage.

The Homecoming Queen is crowned in 1949.

Bradley Cheerleaders perform at a football game in 1965.

Chi Omega decorates their house in 1978 for Homecoming.

Sigma Chi’s house in 1978 for Homecoming week.

A shot at the Homecoming basketball game in 1975.

The crowd at the 1975 Homecoming basketball game.

The 2000 Homecoming dance!

Two girls dance at the 2000 Homecoming dance.

The Bradley University Homecoming parade in 2000! Check out one of our old mascots that wouldn’t be seen past this year. The Bobcat mascot was chosen in 1993 and was eliminated in 2000.

The Geisert Hall car in the 2000 Homecoming parade.

10/02/2026

Another class in the books for Fall 2026! Digital Photography class visited our today, and students enjoyed browsing our Book Arts collection!



10/01/2026

ART140 students dove into our collections and archives today!



Another throwback post this time to 1956, 70 years ago! Let’s go over what the students were doing in their day-to-day l...
09/29/2026

Another throwback post this time to 1956, 70 years ago! Let’s go over what the students were doing in their day-to-day lives.

The women’s Panhellenic Council of the time: Shirley Grubb, Marlyn Sitton, Suzanne Gregg, Caryl Cordis, and Shirley Stever.

‘Crazy Victory’ as put on by Pi Beta Phi, Theta Chi, and Theta XI. The group won first place in the Homecoming Stunt Show. A quick show about how a skunk could lure Drake the Bulldog into the woods and leave victory for Bradley.

Theta Chi performs a country song, though, judging by the grins, who knows if it’s going well.

Two members of the cheer team, Charles Gray and Yvonne Durand, are always ready to lead cheers.

After the Greek Chariot Races, the racers take time to snack before going about their day.

The Sigma Kappa girls have a slumber party together on a Saturday night.

Three members of the Bradley Scouts’ business staff: James Kirchner, Marilyn Pollack, and Barbara Peterson.

Also at the Homecoming Stunt Show, ‘The Oddity of Homer,’ which took home third place. Performed by Sigma Kappa, Lambda Chi, and PiKA.

The Bradley University Football team plays to cheering and shouting crowds.

Dr. Olive B. White, Dean of Women, passes out Panhellenic honors.

Let’s go back 60 years to the class of 1966 and look at what they spent their days doing at Bradley. Four members of Alp...
09/17/2026

Let’s go back 60 years to the class of 1966 and look at what they spent their days doing at Bradley.

Four members of Alpha Phi Alpha leave their house for classes.


Serious focus on school spirit.

Life in the Student Center with lots to discuss.

Getting ready for the weekend while the doom of studying is (literally) hanging around.

Two girls get ready for an event together using rollers and cotton swabs to curl their hair.

A chilly stroll in Laura Bradley Park.

A pole vaulter on the Bradley Track Team works hard at his craft.

Finals studying comes crashing down at the worst moments.

Bill Bontemps, the photo editor of the Scout, poses for a photo of his own.

Bradley really does make you feel like you’re on top of the world.

Let’s take a look at our collection of Cowgirl photos! Our collection spans the early 20th century and includes both rod...
09/15/2026

Let’s take a look at our collection of Cowgirl photos! Our collection spans the early 20th century and includes both rodeo stars and everyday girls with their horses.

This first photo is of Mattie Gwen Leach; she was 15 years old when this photo was taken in 1905. She’s riding her horse, Tony. This photo was taken in Idaho.


Bonnie McCarroll was a popular Rodeo Cowgirl in the 1920s; she won her first title in 1921. This photo shows her being thrown off her horse, Silver. She performed in front of President Coolidge, performed internationally in London, and was inducted into the National Rodeo Hall of Fame in 2002. Unfortunately, in 1929, McCarroll was competing again and was thrown off her horse once more. This time, it led to a major head injury that ultimately killed her. From this incident, women were banned from ‘rough stock’ competition, and the ban is still in place today in most major rodeo organizations.

There’s only a date on this photo: 1910.

Speaking of famous cowgirls, this is Norma Holmes Truan, noted on this postcard as a ‘Famous Pin-Up Cowgirl.’ A natural-born performer, Norma spent a large part of her youth performing in rodeos. She started in small rodeos before moving up to the Tulsa Stampede and the Flying A Rodeo. She was one of four cowgirls chosen to perform in Gene Autry’s rodeo in Madison Square Garden.

This postcard reads on the back: ‘Neva didn’t know.’

Vivian White was a World Champion Saddle Bronc rider and rodeo performer. In 1937, she competed in Madison Square Garden when she won the “Saddle Bronc Rider World Championship” title; this was the last year women were allowed to compete. She stands as one of the best cowgirls in history, and she was never bucked off a horse in an arena competition. In 1948, she and 38 other women founded the Girls Rodeo Association, later renamed the Women’s Professional Rodeo Association. She was inducted into the National Cowgirl Hall of Fame in 1985 and then into the National Rodeo Hall of Fame in 1991.

This is a photo of Virginia Beckwith at age 16; no date is written on the back.

This photo also has n

We know about Bradley University Archives, but now it’s time to talk about Special Collections! Special Collections is h...
09/10/2026

We know about Bradley University Archives, but now it’s time to talk about Special Collections! Special Collections is housed along with the University Archives in the Cullom-Davis Library on Bradley’s campus. We have many different artifacts from photos, letters, books, art, cuneiform tablets, tarot decks, and so much more!
Today, I’m showcasing four different tarot decks. Three paper and one cloth variation. Tarot cards were first introduced in Italy in the 15th century and still hold a place in many people’s hearts. They’ve changed throughout the years and have many, many variations. The four different decks I’m showing today are, in order; Thoth tarot cards (1973), Universal Waite tarot deck (1990), Mountain Dream tarot deck (a 2001 reprint of the original deck from 1975), and Lunar Maria.
The Princess of Swords from the Thoth tarot cards designed by Aleister Crowley and art done by Lady Frieda Harris. The Thoth deck has multiple different published iterations spanning from 1968-2008, however, the first original deck began creation in 1938.


The Two of Cups representing love in this tarot deck. Lady Frieda Harris painted the cards between 1938-1943. Aleister Crowley also published a book on how to use the deck which can also be found in our collections.

The Hermit (IX) from the Universal Waite cards designed by Pamela Colman Smith, coloring done by Mary Hanson-Roberts, and conceived by Stuart R. Kaplan. The Waite deck is named after Arthur Edward Waite who was a scholar of occultism.

The Three of Cups (III of Cups) in the Universal Waite. This deck has been commented as being a reworking of the Rider-Waite Deck which was first introduced by William Rider & Son under the instruction of Waite. That original deck came out in 1909.

Temperance (XIV) from the Mountain Dream re-release done by Bea Nettles. Nettles is an accomplished fine art photographer and is credited with creating the first photographic tarot deck. She did it all without photoshop.

The Two of Swords (II of swords) from the Mountain Dream set. Friends, family, and locals were mostly used in the phot

09/04/2026

Welcomed students for our first for the Fall semester of 2026! It’s always nice to see students enjoying their experience with our ! Excited for another great semester!

Welcome back, Bradley! Take some time and look at life on campus in 1939, 1968, and 1981. Look at the final photo for in...
09/03/2026

Welcome back, Bradley! Take some time and look at life on campus in 1939, 1968, and 1981. Look at the final photo for information about the Bradley University Archives!

The 1968 Homecoming queen, Patti Andres, waves to an adoring crowd at the Bradley football game.



An illustration of the now discontinued Bradley Homecoming bonfire from the 1939 yearbook.

A goodbye to the green beanie! Back when this was taken in 1968, it was tradition that freshmen would wear green beanies on campus to identify themselves. Once homecoming night came, the bonfire was lit to throw the beanies in. Signifying that they were no longer freshmen that needed help, rather confident Bradley students ready to pave their own way. If a freshman was found to not be wearing their beanie, they would face punishments dished out by the Rat Pack.

Two students sit just outside of Bradley Hall on the Class of 1901 bench, sharing a laugh as the autumn leaves fall in 1981.

Bradley Hall sits on a cold winter’s day in 1968.

Three Bradley students in 1939 pose for a yearbook photo, dressed in their Bradley best.

Lauren Sutt chats on the phone in 1981 on a break from studying.

In 1968, an upcoming student election for senior class president has everyone on campus talking!

Also in 1968, students look through books in the library. Sorting through stacks to find just what they need for class.

Information about University Archives!

Address

1501 W Bradley Avenue
Peoria, IL
61625

Opening Hours

Monday 9am - 4:30pm
Tuesday 9am - 4:30pm
Wednesday 9am - 4:30pm
Thursday 9am - 4:30pm
Friday 9am - 4:30pm

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