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St. Cloud State University Archives

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St. Cloud State University Archives

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University Archives makes available significant historical materials regarding St. Cloud State.

10/22/2026

89 years ago on October 23, 1937, Sports Field (later renamed Selke Field) was dedicated. Built east of the Mississippi River by the Works Progress Administration (WPA), the field is surrounded by a 3500-foot granite wall. In August 2025, the field was sold to the Central Minnesota Youth Soccer Association for $350,000. The sale closed the chapter on St. Cloud State property in east St. Cloud.

The color aerial image dates to ca. 1965 and shows the still existing veteran housing complex within the Selke Field walls, as well as the Mississippi River and main campus.

10/20/2026

Happy 50th year, University Archives!

On March 21, 1977, St. Cloud State president Charles Graham established University Archives. Want to see the 1977 memo with the University Archives original charge? Check it out!

10/19/2026

Bonus Ralph Heimdahl and Bugs Bunny!

Recently digitized was a 90 second 16mm black and white silent film during Ralph Heimdahl's October 1966 visit to campus to receive a Distinguished Alumni Award.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H1bFBKVHELU

The film shows the Distinguished Alumni Award banquet as well as Ralph sketching Bugs Bunny. The image shows Ralph being filmed.

10/15/2026

Throwback Thursday!

61 years ago on October 16, 1965, Halenbeck Hall was dedicated. The building was named after local physician Philip Halenbeck, a longtime friend of St. Cloud State.

Here are images of Philip Halenbeck and Halenbeck Hall.

10/14/2026

Today is Day! Ask us anything - what do we do? What is the oldest item in our collection? How is Archives access? Why is archives important? What services do you provide?

We'll be monitoring all of our social media today to engage with you.

A favorite image of ours, a woman enjoys lemonade at the Lemonade Concert and Art Fair in August 1978.

10/13/2026

This is the first post in a series highlighting alum Ralph Heimdahl and his work accessible in University Archives.

A very unique and one-of-a-kind collection in University Archives is the Ralph Heimdahl Papers. Donated in 2019 by Ralph’s youngest daughter Martha, the collection contains thousands of drawings done by Ralph Heimdahl from the 1930s through the 1970s.

Willmar, Minnesota, native Heimdahl was a 1930 graduate of St. Cloud State. He is best known as the artist for the Bugs Bunny newspaper comic strip from 1947 until the fall of 1978. Before his Bugs Bunny stint, Ralph was an animator at Disney for four years, working on such animated classics as Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, Fantasia, Pinocchio, Dumbo, and Bambi.

In October 1966, Heimdahl was given the 1966 Distinguished Alumni Award. The image shows Ralph on campus sketching Bugs Bunny during that 1966 visit.

Look for additional posts on the second Tuesday of every month through May 2027.

10/08/2026

Throwback Thursday!

Finishing up homecoming this year, a past tradition was to name homecoming royalty. For homecoming in early October 1974, not only would a queen be crowned, but a king would also crowned for the first time. Sponsored by Holes Hall, Chuck LeMaire was elected homecoming king!

From the University Photographer, here is an image of homecoming queen Leslie Hansen and king Chuck LeMaire during the homecoming parade.

10/06/2026

Happy American Archives Month!

University Archives has an extensive photo collection - negatives, photo prints, slides, and digital. A favorite are the aerial shots of campus over time. Mostly dating from the 1960s and on, University Archives has aerial images as far back as the 1930s.

Featured here are two campus aerial images taken by faculty member Max Partch in March 1953. Still a sleepy teachers college, St. Cloud State stands almost exclusively on the east side of 1st Avenue South - except Shoemaker Hall. A few now demolished buildings are visible - Music Studio, Old Model School, and Building "A" and Building "B" as well as the neighborhood that stood to the west of campus.

10/02/2026

Welcome to American Archives Month - the 2026 edition.

Look for social media posts this month celebrating all things Archives. Posts will focus on fun resources and items in University Archives, Bugs Bunny, the 50th anniversary of the establishment of University Archives, Throwback Thursday, Day, and anything else we think is fun and relevant.

10/01/2026

Throwback Thursday!

Campus is celebrating homecoming this week. Enjoy this 1986 homecoming poster from 40 years ago. With a theme "Happy Days are Here Again", activities included a carnival, a film showing, parade, and a homecoming dance featuring Great Nation and Burlesque.

Address

400 6th Avenue S
Saint Cloud, MN
56301

Opening Hours

Monday	8am - 4:30pm
Tuesday	8am - 4:30pm
Wednesday	8am - 4:30pm
Thursday	8am - 4:30pm
Friday	8am - 4:30pm

Telephone

+13203084753

Website

http://www.stcloudstate.edu/library/archives/

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