History

Lawrence was founded in 1854, at the same time Lawrence was being built, the industrial revolution was dramatically changing Europe, cities were exploding with people, and builders were frantically building their concept of the cookie cutter to respond to the rising need for houses; meanwhile in Lawrence, fine woodworkers and craftsmen were able to create a tribute to that pre-industrial European sensibility; and hence the ambience in Lawrence, particularly the Oread neighborhood which is closest to campus, where the first homes were built to accommodate the founders of KU in 1866. Professors and students alike lived in symbiosis in this neighborhood. See section on History for more documentation of generations of KU students living in these homes.