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| Colorado Aggies.Com |
| Dedicated to the Preservation of Athletic History at Colorado State University |
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| Football Stadiums of the Aggies & Rams |
Unnamed Football Grounds - 1893-1894
In June of 2009, a series of photos from 1893 were
discovered that answered the question of where the
CAC football team played their games before 1899. In
the photo at left, it is clear that the team played on the
east side of College Avenue just south of Old Main
(which is visible in the photo). This is currently the site
of a Shraders Country store between Locust and Plum.
It was reported in later newspapers that the team
played further south of this location, but these
116-year-old photos prove where football was first
played in the city of Fort Collins. It was not part of the
campus in 1893.
In June of 2009, a series of photos from 1893 were
discovered that answered the question of where the
CAC football team played their games before 1899. In
the photo at left, it is clear that the team played on the
east side of College Avenue just south of Old Main
(which is visible in the photo). This is currently the site
of a Shraders Country store between Locust and Plum.
It was reported in later newspapers that the team
played further south of this location, but these
116-year-old photos prove where football was first
played in the city of Fort Collins. It was not part of the
campus in 1893.
| Durkee Field 1899-1911 |
The first official athletic field was constructed in the spring of 1899 when the college athletic association reorganized and president
Gym and Field house) was cleared of trees and drained of water. The ground was then graded to make a flat playing surface. With the
railroad tracks on the west and South College Avenue on the east.
This low lying ground was actually a natural stream bed which is marked today by a tunnel under the railroad tracks. This stream
becomes active when torrents of rain wash through the campus as was evident in the devastating flood of 1997 when the South
College Gym received its worst damage.
The newly reformed football team of 1899 played the first games here on a playing surface made up of primarily dirt and rocks. In
1901 a graduate from the class of 1900 named Charles Durkee donated money for a tall wooden fence to be erected on three sides
of the field with the railroad tracks acting as a barrier for the fourth side.
The 1934 Collegian article notes that it helped keep the non-paying people out better than the military cadets.In return for his fence the
college named the athletic grounds "Durkee Field". Bleachers were later added for spectators to watch the games and military
drills.This field was described by former players and Harry Hughes as horrible to walk through let alone play football. The previously
mentioned stream would reappear during wet weather and ran through the playing field during some games.
Harry Hughes' first football season of 1911 was the last season football was ever played at Durkee Field. When the rules of football
changed to a 100 yard field, Hughes used that opportunity to build a better field for his athletes. After the athletic field was removed in
1912, tennis courts were placed on the site of Durkee Field and in 1925 ground was broken for the new Men's Gymnasium. In the fall
of 1926, the South College Gym and Field house opened on the former site of Durkee Field where it stands today.
Gym and Field house) was cleared of trees and drained of water. The ground was then graded to make a flat playing surface. With the
railroad tracks on the west and South College Avenue on the east.
This low lying ground was actually a natural stream bed which is marked today by a tunnel under the railroad tracks. This stream
becomes active when torrents of rain wash through the campus as was evident in the devastating flood of 1997 when the South
College Gym received its worst damage.
The newly reformed football team of 1899 played the first games here on a playing surface made up of primarily dirt and rocks. In
1901 a graduate from the class of 1900 named Charles Durkee donated money for a tall wooden fence to be erected on three sides
of the field with the railroad tracks acting as a barrier for the fourth side.
The 1934 Collegian article notes that it helped keep the non-paying people out better than the military cadets.In return for his fence the
college named the athletic grounds "Durkee Field". Bleachers were later added for spectators to watch the games and military
drills.This field was described by former players and Harry Hughes as horrible to walk through let alone play football. The previously
mentioned stream would reappear during wet weather and ran through the playing field during some games.
Harry Hughes' first football season of 1911 was the last season football was ever played at Durkee Field. When the rules of football
changed to a 100 yard field, Hughes used that opportunity to build a better field for his athletes. After the athletic field was removed in
1912, tennis courts were placed on the site of Durkee Field and in 1925 ground was broken for the new Men's Gymnasium. In the fall
of 1926, the South College Gym and Field house opened on the former site of Durkee Field where it stands today.
| Colorado Field 1912-1967 |
In 1910 the site of the college experiment station that grew potatoes was identified as the location where the future athletic field
should be built. After two years of lobbying and with the support of college president Charles Lory, it was approved in 1912. On
May 23, 1912 construction began on the ground located on the very southern edge of the campus at the time. Students and faculty,
Play began in the fall of 1912 with 1,000 seat grandstands being added by the beginning of football season. A cinder track around
the field was later added in 1914 since Harry Hughes was as much a track coach as he was a football coach. In September of 1912
the school built a Club House just east of the railroad tracks on what is now University Avenue on today's campus. This acted as
locker rooms and showers for both the Aggie players and visiting players.
With a state of the art football stadium the Aggies went on to win eight conference championships over the next 25 years. The ninth
and last conference championship team to play on Colorado Field was in 1955. Colorado Field served Aggie Football and Aggie
athletics very well. Just south of Colorado Field a baseball field was constructed and it is the former location of the baseball field
and South half of Colorado Field where Jack Christiansen Track stands today.
In 1961 Colorado State University did a study to either rebuild Colorado Field into a major Football stadium or to replace it with a
new stadium on the foothills campus. Because of Colorado Field's location in Ft. Collins it was decided to build a new stadium away
from traffic. The last varsity game was played on Colorado Field in 1967 and although Junior Varsity football was played there for a
short time, it was torn down due to its age in the summers of 1972 and 1973.
should be built. After two years of lobbying and with the support of college president Charles Lory, it was approved in 1912. On
May 23, 1912 construction began on the ground located on the very southern edge of the campus at the time. Students and faculty,
Play began in the fall of 1912 with 1,000 seat grandstands being added by the beginning of football season. A cinder track around
the field was later added in 1914 since Harry Hughes was as much a track coach as he was a football coach. In September of 1912
the school built a Club House just east of the railroad tracks on what is now University Avenue on today's campus. This acted as
locker rooms and showers for both the Aggie players and visiting players.
With a state of the art football stadium the Aggies went on to win eight conference championships over the next 25 years. The ninth
and last conference championship team to play on Colorado Field was in 1955. Colorado Field served Aggie Football and Aggie
athletics very well. Just south of Colorado Field a baseball field was constructed and it is the former location of the baseball field
and South half of Colorado Field where Jack Christiansen Track stands today.
In 1961 Colorado State University did a study to either rebuild Colorado Field into a major Football stadium or to replace it with a
new stadium on the foothills campus. Because of Colorado Field's location in Ft. Collins it was decided to build a new stadium away
from traffic. The last varsity game was played on Colorado Field in 1967 and although Junior Varsity football was played there for a
short time, it was torn down due to its age in the summers of 1972 and 1973.
| Sonny Lubick Field @ Hughes Stadium 1968-Present |
Built at the base of the hog back mountain with the Aggie "A", Hughes Stadium has served Colorado State University for over
40 years. The state approved construction in 1966 and the stadium, named after legendary coach Harry Hughes, was opened in
September of 1968. Built to seat 30,000 fans, the stadium was known as the "Showcase of the Rockies" for many years.
After CSU football had great success in the 1990s, the stadium was expanded and the field renamed in honor of all-time great
coach Sonny Lubick. The current capacity is listed as 32,400, but the stadium can still be expanded to seat over 50,000 if
necessary
40 years. The state approved construction in 1966 and the stadium, named after legendary coach Harry Hughes, was opened in
September of 1968. Built to seat 30,000 fans, the stadium was known as the "Showcase of the Rockies" for many years.
After CSU football had great success in the 1990s, the stadium was expanded and the field renamed in honor of all-time great
coach Sonny Lubick. The current capacity is listed as 32,400, but the stadium can still be expanded to seat over 50,000 if
necessary
- In 1893, football was played on the east side of College Avenue partly because it was off the campus. College president Alston Ellis did not approve of athletics and did not want an athletic field on his campus. - The 1893 field went from the east to the west rather than today's standard north and south football fields. - The first official football field on the campus, later named Durkee Field, also went from east to west in its early days. (Note picture at right) - The original wooden grandstands of Durkee Field were burned in 1908 after the college built new stands. - The wooden fence of Durkee Field was later used to buid the new athletic club house at Colorado Field. - The Durkee Field locker room/club house still stands on the CSU campus. It is a small red brick building located on the west side of the railroad tracks next to Old Main Drive. - When Durkee Field was removed after the construction of Colorado Field in 1912, the college turned the area into athletic fields and tennis courts for women's athletics. - When the decision to build the South College Gym was approved in 1925, Harry Hughes wanted to reserve the former site of Durkee Field for a new football stadium to be built there at a later date. The State Board of Agriculture voted Hughes' idea down. - With the exception of the 1,000-seat steel grandstands, Colorado Field was built entirely by students and faculty, including the club house. - From 1912 to the mid-1920s, automobiles parked on the east side of the field and fans watched games from inside their cars. - In 1921, a 5,000-seat grandstand was built on the west side of the field. It was made of steel a frame with wooden floor planks and wooden bleachers. This is why the stadium later received the nickname "The Old Lumber Yard". - In 1934, a strong spring wind blew down the original press box. It was not replaced until the fall of 1935. - The Colorado Aggies won nine conference championships at Colorado Field: 1915, 1916, 1919, 1920, 1925, 1927, 1933, 1934 and 1955. - The 1966 Wyoming game is believed to have been the largest recorded attendance at Colorado Field. With 14,900 recorded by the CSU athletic department, stories say fans poured onto College Avenue to watch one of the greatest games in CSU history. - Hughes Stadium is an exact copy of the Sun Bowl in El Paso, Texas. CSU used almost the exact blue prints from the University of Texas, El Paso. |
