A Fred W. Kent Campus Tour – Then & Now.

On October 19, 2023, the University of Iowa Pentacrest Museums sponsored an Exhibition of Fred W. Kent’s photographs.

Frederick (Fred) Wallace Kent (1894-1984) was best known as a versatile and talented photographer who documented everything from family and community life to landscape and natural vistas in Iowa, particularly here in Johnson County, Iowa City, and the University of Iowa. Fred first arrived on the SUI campus in the fall of 1911, began taking pictures, and didn’t stop until long after his retirement in 1975. Read more here.

On this page, we’d love to share with you a beautiful set of thirty Then & Now Photographs. The photos on the left came from the camera of F.W. Kent and the ones on the right came from the talented UI photographers – Tim Schoon & Justin Torner. Along the way, we’ll offer some short commentary and links to more pages for you to explore. Enjoy the journey!

The Center of the University – Old Capitol. Read more here.

Old Capitol at night. Read about Old Capitol when it was new!

The scenic west entrance to Old Capitol – long a gathering place for students. Did you know that the west lawn of Old Capitol once contained four small utility buildings?

Students gathered on the steps of Old Cap. Over the years, there have been several very historic gatherings on the steps of Old Cap. Read more here.

The most photographed building in Iowa City – Fred Kent experimented with infrared film while, in 2018, Swiss artist Swiss light artist Gerry Hofstetter brought his light show to Iowa City.

Walking eastward from Old Cap toward Iowa Avenue. Note in F.W. Kent’s pic – the Quonset Huts, built after WWII, replacing Unity Hall – standing where Phillips Hall would be built in 1965. Read more here.

A bird’s eye view of the Pentacrest. See more high-flying pics like these here.

Autumn leaves on the Pentacrest. Read more about how the Pentacrest came into existence.

More autumn leaves. Did you know that the very first photograph of Old Capitol & Capitol Square was taken in 1854?

Autumn turns to early winter. Fred W. Kent loved to take photographs on the Pentacrest. More here.

Lab experiments on the Iowa campus. Read about one of SUI’s most famous scientists – Dr. James Van Allen.

Brain science – yesterday and today. Read about SUI’s highly-acclaimed children’s research project – ICWRS.

It’s Homecoming weekend in Iowa City – welcome to the parade on Clinton Street. Read more about SUI homecomings which began in 1912!

Just south and east of the Pentacrest lies the busy corner of Clinton & Washington Streets. Prior to urban renewal projects of the 1970’s – when Old Capitol Mall came in – Washington Street was home to numerous mom-and-pop retail stores. Read more about downtown grocery stores of the 1930’s.

A football Saturday in Iowa City. The Hawkeyes first played in Iowa Field – located on the Iowa River just west of Old Capitol. Read more here.

From Iowa Field to Kinnick Stadium. The Hawkeyes moved to the west side of the Iowa River in 1929. Read more here.

Iowa Stadium – which opened in 1929 – was renamed for Nile Kinnick in 1972. Read more here.

The Hawkeye Marching Band yesterday and today. The HMB goes back to 1881 and has been involved in Iowa football games from the very beginning. Read about The Boom here.

Some things on campus just never change. The first Armory/Fieldhouse on the SUI campus housed student recreational opportunities and was located near Iowa Field. Read more here.

Herky came into existence in 1948 and turned 75 years old in 2023! Read more here.

Come on in – the water’s fine! The SUI swimming pool in the Iowa Fieldhouse was the home of Iowa’s first All-American swimmer – Irving Weber. Read more here.

Student life in Hillcrest Dormitory. Read about SUI’s first dorm – South Hall.

The IMU Ballroom – a gathering place for SUI/UI students since 1925. Read more here.

Canoeing on the Iowa River. Did you know the first modern bridge over the river came in 1860? Read more here.

Recreation on the Iowa River. Read about The Island and the beginnings of City Park.

There’s always something new going up on campus. Read about the major transition of the SUI campus that occurred between 1895 (The Red Brick Campus) and 1920 (The Pentacrest).

Yet, the Hospital Tower remains. Read the amazing story of SUI Hospitals & Clinics.

The classroom experience at Iowa actually began in 1855 in Mechanics Academy…

And, of course, it wouldn’t be SUI without graduations. Read about the first graduating class in 1858.

Through it all, Old Capitol remains. Read more here about the 1920’s Rehabilitation of Old Capitol. And take a tour of Old Cap here, including a trip to the Dome.

We hope you enjoyed this Then & Now Tour of The University of Iowa campus. You might also appreciate these other posts that focus on the amazing photography of F.W. Kent…

– Fred W. Kent – Continuing The Photographic Tradition.

– Fred W. Kent’s Iowa City Classics.

– Wetherby & Kent – Two Generations – Two Cameras – One City.

– Old Stone Capitol Remembers – Abraham, Martin, & John.

On July 1, 1976, The Iowa City Press-Citizen published a special 76-page Bicentennial edition. That special edition concluded with eight pages of Fred Kent photographs. Here, we offer you a replication of those photographs.

***October 19, 2023 – The UI Pentacrest Museum offers a one-hour video overview presentation of their exhibition: Fred W. Kent – Through His Lens.***

Kudos to the amazing resources below for the many quotes, photographs, etc. used on this page. A special thank you to the good folks at The University of Iowa Pentacrest Museums and the following special guests – UI Photographers Tim Schoon & Justin Torner – who made this presentation possible. Read more here.