Campus 1932 - 33

[Turbine]

Louisiana's original 25 acre campus, lined with oaks.

[Turbine]

To tie a little bit of history together . . .

Notice the campus proximity of the football field to "The Swamp"

Naming Cajun Field "The Swamp" was simply a carry over from the 20's. Just as it was no coincidence that Alvin Dark was nicknamed the "Swamp Fox."

What was new was the short-lived nickname "Cajun Basin" this was due to Cajun Field being an actual basin design. Personally I would like to see this nickname brought back.

[CajunFun]

Problem is, it's not yet a swamp, only a grove.

It was a natural depression in the ground, believed to have been a prehistoric bison wallow. Dances, performances & commencement used to be held there.

If was flooded with fire-fighting water during WWII.

As for "The Basin" that's not bad; but I would rather we stick by "The Swamp" and snatch it back from Florida. Otherwise, we look like a bad variation on UF.

Swamp Fox, eh? We need to capitolize on that. Later.

[Cajun97]

"It was a natural depression in the ground, believed to have been a prehistoric bison wallow. Dances, performances & commencement used to be held there."

Did you get that information from Dr. Gibson?

[Turbine]

Throughout the pass 100 plus years, trees have always been a focus of love on the University of Louisiana’s campus. In this light, think of the term "Cypress Grove" as simply, "campus correct speak.”

At the turn of the century, swamps were not deemed pride worthy locations, indeed for "Cypress Grove" to carry true meaning; one would have to wait for the culmination of thirty years of campus growth that helped dry the swampy area.

Some of the earliest efforts around campus were attempts to attain proper drainage for human concerns. Wooden sidewalks were the first stop gap method used to help students stay out of sometimes muddy conditions, and this was away from the much wetter natural depression.

In 1901 “Cypress Swamp” was basically the little eye sore that no one talked about. At first it was easily ignored, as it was a bit out of the main usage area of campus. However as the various campus building endeavors, and drainage projects developed over the years, the swamp slowly came into focus. Without direct effort, the swamp dried, by this time it was in fact “Cypress Grove.”

Slowly, over the forty-year period the natural water source for the swamp had been diverted, periods of heavy rain being the exception. As stated the area did become a grove used for the aforementioned "dances, performances & commencement" activities.

Unfortunately, by the late thirties and early forties, it was thought that the long-standing Cypress trees were showing signs of the prolonged stress brought on by the mostly dry environment. So around 1943, (just in time for the men and boys of the V-12 program), plans to rectify the problem were commenced. Small levees were built around the natural depression and the grove was flooded. The accurately stated (printed) purpose was “to preserve the beloved trees.”

Instead of calling it Cypress Swamp the "campus correct speak" term Cypress Lake was adopted. True preservation love of Louisiana's Swamp was still a few years away.

[Turbine]

A picture of Cypress Grove.
After & Before "The Swamp"