This week, we are celebrating with the rest of the university the 125th anniversary of UL Lafayette. The university was established as Southwestern Louisiana Industrial Institute on July 14, 1898. Today begins a yearlong celebration of our anniversary and Special Collections is starting right here.

Attached to this post are several pictures found in Special Collections that show the university in our early years and some pictures of the university kicking off the anniversary celebration with an ice cream social for faculty and staff.

Did you know that Special Collections has a huge collection of resources for your genealogical research?

We have an entire section of books dedicated to genealogy and countless collections to help with all of your research. We also have census and civil records from many local parishes on microfilm.

Pictured here is part of the genealogy section in the Jefferson Caffery Reading Room.

The library will be CLOSED from Saturday, July 1 through Monday, July 4 in observance of Independence Day.

Spring '23 EDCI 407 & 411 created a display of the 100 Acre Wood Classroom collaboration project between the UL College of Education & Human Development and Moncus Park.

View the 100 Acre Wood Classroom display by the front doors all summer.

Share your story about LGBTQ+ history in Louisiana!

Oral histories of Acadiana's LGBTQ+ community members will be collected at Pride Acadiana for a project between Special Collections, the Guilbeau Center for Public History, and the Lafayette Parish Bicentennial.

June 24, 2023
Jefferson St., Downtown Lafayette
Oral History Station
9 a.m. - 5 p.m.