The campus will soon bid a fond farewell to the North Field, a verdant plot of land in the heart of campus. Construction on Hospitality Hall, the new academic building for the Harrah College of Hotel Administration, will begin this semester. But before the first shovel is put in the ground, students are organizing the Goodbye to North Field Party on Jan. 28.

The space has been much more than a grassy patch to UNLV students over the years. It’s been a place of communal memory making during campus festivals and rallies. We dug into the archives in the University Libraries Special Collections to see how the space has changed over the years.

This aerial view of UNLV in the 1970s shows the earliest use of the land—as an athletic field. 

Feel like watching a softball game between classes (or even during)? As the university’s academic programs grew, the North Field’s function as a hub for sports activity eventually came to an end. (University of Nevada, Las Vegas Photo Collection)

Before the Central Desert Complex buildings were added beginning in 2001, North Field covered considerably more territory. These images show the heavy equipment brought in to make huge changes in the campus landscape. That’s progress! (UNLV Photo Services, ca. 2001 and April 8, 2004)

The North Field also has been a favored site for many happy gatherings sponsored by campus organizations. One of the most notable has been Premier UNLV. Since August of 1996, this event has become a cherished tradition, welcoming new and returning students and lighting up the night (and the North Field) with school spirit. (UNLV Photo Services, August 26, 2010)

The open space and cooling grass in the heart of campus made North Field a prime spot for outdoor camaraderie. (UNLV Photo Services, August 29, 2012)

And you never knew quite who you'd run into hanging out on the grass. (R. Marsh Starks/UNLV Photo Services, Oct. 29, 2014) 

UNLV College of Hotel Administration faculty and staff members pose in front of where the new Hospitality Hall will be constructed. (UNLV Photo Services, Aug. 19, 2015)