Creighton Stadium
41°15′59″N 95°57′02″W / 41.2664°N 95.9506°W / 41.2664; -95.9506Owner Creighton University Operator Creighton University Capacity 22,500[1] Surface Natural grass Construction Broke ground 1924 Opened 1925; 99 years ago (1925)[1][2] Closed 1963 Demolished 1966 Construction cost $335,000 [2] Tenants Creighton Bluejays (NCAA) (1925–1942) Colleges Athletics Places People
Creighton Stadium was an outdoor American football stadium in the midwestern United States, located on the campus of Creighton University in Omaha, Nebraska. At the southeast corner of North 27th and Burt streets, it was the home field of the Creighton Bluejays of the Missouri Valley Conference.
Constructed in 1924,[3] and opened 99 years ago in 1925,[2] it was a concrete stadium in the shape of an oval,[1] but lacked enclosed end zones.[4] Asymmetric, the larger grandstand on the south sideline was single level and included the press box, while the north grandstand had a second deck, bounded by Burt Street. After several seasons, lights were added, between the field and the running track.[5]
The football field had an unconventional east-west alignment at an elevation of approximately 1,050 feet (320 m) above sea level. Located at the northwest corner of campus, the present-day North Freeway (U.S. Route 75) is immediately west of the site.
Like many colleges during World War II, Creighton put its football program on hiatus after the 1942 season;[6] the final varsity game was at home against Tulsa on November 21.[7] Bluejay football was not resumed after the war,[6] but the stadium was used for track competitions and ROTC drilling for the next two decades. It was demolished in the 1960s and the site where it stood is now occupied by the Criss research buildings of the Creighton University School of Medicine.[2]
In addition to college athletics, the stadium hosted religious and community affairs,[2] as well as rodeos.[8]
References
- ^ a b c Missouri Valley Conference Handbook. Missouri Valley Conference News Bureau. 1937. pp. 56 (on page 3).
- ^ a b c d e Boro, Carolyn; Mead, Beverly T. (1991). A Century of teaching and healing 1892-1992 : the first one hundred years of the Creighton University School of Medicine (PDF). Creighton University. p. 160.
- ^ "1924 Creighton Stadium construction". Creighton University Archives. (photo). 1924. Retrieved November 10, 2016.
- ^ "1929 stadium without light poles". Creighton University Archives. (photo). 1929. Retrieved November 10, 2016.
- ^ "1930 Creighton campus, aerial view". Creighton University Archives. (photo). 1930. Retrieved November 10, 2016.
- ^ a b "History". Creighton University. Retrieved November 10, 2016.
- ^ "Tulsa wins title". Spokesman-Review. (Spokane, Washington). Associated Press. November 22, 1942. p. 1, sports.
- ^ "1944 rodeo in stadium". Gonzaga University Archives. (photo). 1944. Retrieved November 10, 2016.
External links
- Creighton University Archives – stadium photos
- v
- t
- e
Creighton University
