This page was created by Stephanie Pitts-Noggle.
Introduction
Welcome to Ricker Library's Centennial Exhibition!
Nearly 100 years ago, in March of 1917, the Architectural Library, which had existed in some form since the mid-1870's was officially named "The Ricker Library of Architecture"; but who was Ricker and why was the library named for him?In answering those questions, we must return to the earliest days of the University of Illinois, and the foundation of architectural education in the United States. In the fall of 1868, the University of Illinois, then known as Illinois Industrial University, opened its doors, offering classes in agriculture, engineering, natural science, and literature. While architecture wasn't originally included among its offerings, only five years later the University made history as the first American university to award a degree in architecture. The recipient was Nathan Clifford Ricker.
As a student and then professor at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Ricker was a pioneer in architectural education, a noted architect, and an outspoken advocate of the library as a necessary part of an architect's training. Now, 100 years later, both the School of Architecture and the Ricker Library of Art and Architecture continue his storied legacy.
This exhibition explores this legacy and serves to honor the eponymous founder of the Ricker Library. Using primary sources from the University of Illinois Archives, this exhibition provides a unique glimpse of our University's past as it honors the life and works of Nathan Clifford Ricker, delves into the history of architectural education at UIUC, and reflects on the past 100 years of the Ricker Library of Art and Architecture.
Come celebrate with us, and read on!
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- The Ricker Centennial Exhibition Stephanie Pitts-Noggle
