Celebrating 50 years!
Happy 50th anniversary to the Missouri Western campus and our four-year institution! It was the fall of 1969 when Missouri Western moved to its present location and began offering bachelor’s degrees.
When the campus opened that fall, 2,536 students were enrolled and there were 167 employees. Three buildings were open for classes and three more were under construction. At the time, the original three were known as the Evan R. Agenstein Science and Math Building, the Warren E. Hearnes Learning Resource Center and the Frank Popplewell Administration Building. The three under construction included the Engineering Technology Building (now Wilson Hall), the Thompson E. Potter Fine Arts Center and the Health, Physical Education and Recreation Building (now the Looney Complex).
Today, there are 24 buildings on campus, including seven residence halls, a fitness center and a conference center. The campus also contains tennis courts, an indoor pool, lots of walking trails, nine ponds and a spring sports complex.
The road to a four-year college and a new campus
Two days before the St. Joseph Junior College opened in 1915, the Gazette newspaper noted the following in its article about the new two-year college:
“Although two years of college work have been added to the curriculum of Central High, this is not the end of the ambition of some of the friends of the school system here. They hope to see the day soon when the full university course has been installed … which will give children of the city the opportunity to get a finished education at small cost.”
Adding two more years to the St. Joseph college actually took 50 years, and it wasn’t the easiest to accomplish. Below is the timeline for the fruition of a four-year college and a new campus:
1961 – Legislation passes that provides for the establishment of junior college districts by a vote of the people in those areas. Such a district was a prerequisite to a four-year college for St. Joseph.
1965 – The Missouri Western Junior College District is approved by voters, and the college’s name is changed to Missouri Western Junior College, effective June 7. The Junior College is now funded by residents of five counties: Andrew, Buchanan, Clay, Clinton and Platte.
1965 – A Board of Trustees is established for the Junior College District Jan. 19.
1965 – In July, Gov. Warren Hearnes signs a bill to fund a four-year college in St. Joseph. This bill provides for the establishment of an independent state senior college, to be known as Missouri Western College, when the Junior College acquires a campus, meets the requirements established by the Board of Curators of Missouri University and enrollment trends constitute sufficient justification.
1965 – Dr. Milburn W. Blanton is named Missouri Western’s first president. The Board of Trustees wants to recognize a new era for the institution by naming the top position, “president.”
1965– A bill passes to give the college an option to purchase 130 acres on Frederick Blvd. for the new campus.
1966 – Bond issue passes to build four new buildings on a new campus on Frederick Blvd.
1966 – The Board of Trustees votes to look at other properties before purchasing the land on Frederick Blvd. In October, the board announces that it plans to purchase 390 acres east of Interstate 29 for the new campus.
1967 – Missouri governor passes a bill which authorizes conveyance of 130 acres to the Junior College District. The acreage is part of the state hospital’s dairy farm, and the cost is $27,000. The governor also rescinds the option to buy the 130 acres on Frederick Blvd. The balance of the acreage is purchased from area farmers for a total of 390 acres; the total cost for 390 acres is $357,200.
1967 – Dr. M.O. Looney becomes president.
1967 – Missouri Western Junior College is renamed Missouri Western College.
1967 – A groundbreaking ceremony for the new campus is held on Aug. 22.
1968 – The campus is annexed by the City of St. Joseph.
1968 – Conditions that were set out in the four-year bill that was signed in 1965 are deemed met, and Missouri Western officially becomes a four-year college Oct. 22.
1969 – As Missouri Western transitions from a two-year to a four-year college, no degrees are awarded this year.
1969 – The college opens in the fall as a four-year institution on Sept. 15.
1969 – A ceremony to dedicate the new campus is held Oct. 12. Although it was a rainy day, approximately 1,500 attended.
1970 – The first Commencement ceremony for the four-year institution is held outside by the Hearnes
Learning Resource Center for 45 graduates.
1971 – The college adds 354 acres, bringing the total campus size to 744 acres. Later conveyances to the Missouri Army National Guard, University of Missouri Extension and the Missouri Department of Conservation bring the acreage size to 723.
Campus Building
Year Opened Remodeled/Renovated/Added On
Agenstein Hall 1969 2011
Baker Fitness Center 1994 2012
Beshears Hall (200s) 1973
Blum Union 1972 Added on 2000
Bond Incubator 2008
Clock Tower 1997
Commons 2004
Conservation HQ 1992
Eder Hall 1976 2000
Fulkerson Center 2005
Vartabedian Hall* 2011
Griffon Indoor
Sports Complex 2010
Hearnes Center 1969 1990
Juda Hall (400s) 1973
Kelley Commons 2013
Leaverton Hall 1991
Logan Hall (100s) 1971 Closed
Looney Complex 1971 1980
Murphy Hall 2000
Popplewell Hall 1969
Potter Hall 1971 1986
Remington Hall 2010
Scanlon Hall 2005
Spratt Hall 1997
Spring Sports Comp. 2011
Vaselakos Hall 1995
University Plaza 2007
Wilson Hall 1970
*Formerly Griffon Hall; name changed in June 2019.
