MTSU in B&W

[Fallingwater]

I ventured over to Middle this morning and took these photographs. Hopefully I captured some images which are of some interest to you. As always, I try to present subject matter in new ways if at all possible so while some of the buildings and settings may be familiar to you, hopefully I have captured some new angles or perspectives.

So....... C'MON EVERYBODY, LET'S GO TO MIDDLE. It'll be FUN!

Hello, I'm President of Middle Tennessee State University. This is my house on campus. I'll be your guide today.

This is perhaps my favorite building on campus because of the spectacular courtyard space. This was taken from the courtyard of the Business and Aerospace Bldg. We will come back to this building later.

I suppose we will really begin our tour on the East side of campus. This is an older part of campus and while I love the mature trees and vegetation around this part of campus, quite frankly, I think the buildings around here look a little bland and "institutional" aesthetically but there are some exceptions. This is actually the rear of one of our dormitorys; Lyon Hall.

This is Kirksey Old Main and I think it is a wonderful old structure. It stands with dignity and grace.

A little Geometry and a little nature.

See what I mean? Kirksey Old Main simply stands so dignified and works so well with it natural surroundings.

I BEG YOUR PARDON? ....

Hehe, crazy kids.... I love em. Er-uh, anyway, come on because I've got some great stuff to show you up ahead.

[Fallingwater]

Anyway, those were the parts of the "old campus" that I wished to show you. I'm a new generation modern hip-cat kind of President and I like new things. My University is growing by leaps and bounds and our plans and our buildings are now big, bold, and of an entirely different scale altogether. This is the James E. Walker Library.

And this is part of the John Bragg Mass Communication building which stands next to it in the large and beautiful open plaza. I love the front wall and the various little interplays it presents between volumes and light.

Another view of the Mass Communications buildings. Gotta love that front wall. It's kind of a fake wall.

This is the Ned McWherter Learning Resource Center.

And this is another view of the James E. Walker Library as viewed from Business and Aerospace Building across the Plaza.

I love the new Plaza and all the spectacular buildings around it. It is really just a reflection of our growth and a bold new attitude here at Middle. We aren't "Little Middle" any longer and our projects now reflect the massive scale of our growth. We not only like big buildings now - we also make our sidewalks LONG AND WIDE!

This handsome new structure Paul W. Martin Sr. Honors Building. I love the working bells which sound so wonderful when they chime.

This massive building is our student Recreation Center. Oh man, we've got everything in there; Rock climbing walls, indoor soccer field - you name it. It has become a center of student life on campus.

And here is a view from the front

Man, like I said, the scale of everything now is quite large. I'm a little tired after walking all that distance plus I'm a little parched. I think I need a little something to wet my lips. Oh, I know where we can find something to drink............. come on...............

[Fallingwater]

..... see? I bet we can find something to drink here!

This is one of the finest Greek Rows you will find anywhere. The houses are just awesome, dude, and some of them even have added security like this one.

And this one

Actually, they have two of these fierce beasts.

These are the exceptions though as most do not have this kind of added security. They are still very nice Fraternity homes though.

This is part of our big new entrance gate from Northfield Blvd.

And this is one of our more nice student residences called Scarlett Commons. There are nine apartment buildings in the Scarlett Complex.

But, you know, not everyone can live the good life in Scarlett Commons. Some are ghetto dwellers like the ones who live in Jim Cummings Hall.

And to a lesser extent, Corlew Hall.

Well, let's take a little break before we take in some of the other sites around campus. I need to visit the little Presidents Room so you just sit still til I return.

[Fallingwater]

Well, sorry it took so long but for some unknown reason I always have to pee after my visits to Greek Row.

Let us continue our tour, shall we? We are back at Business and Aerospace Bldg.

It is not so much the exterior of the building which is so enchanting. It is the courtyard which lies beyond the arches. It is a magnificent space and one of my favorite places to just come and breathe the air.

This is part of our School of Nursing building which is still under construction.

Hey, do you like sports? I do and sometimes I feel like strapping on a chin strap and knocking some heads, you know? We went to Div.I football a few year's ago and added on to Floyd Stadium.

I think we can peek inside. Oh look, a game is going on! We must be playing Louisiana Monroe!

Our Baseball stadium is pretty nice but I just love the fence.

This is the Murphy Center where we play our Basketball games. It was erected in the early 70's but I think it has aged gracefully and is a most wonderful facility. It is affectionately known as the Glass House.

Sometimes I look back on our successes and also recall some of our failures and I just do not know whether to laugh or cry.

You know what? If there is one thing of which there is plenty on campus, that is bicycles. Our students ride bicycles everywhere! I've seen a lot of bicycles over the years but this one is about the crappiest bike I have ever seen! That student is going on double secret probation!

Well, we're back on the 'old campus' and back to the same scenery. This is Rutlage Hall.

And this is the front of Lyon Hall. If you recall, we showed you the rear earlier. Speaking of rear.....

AHAHAHAHAHAHA.... Gotcha! I'm such a zany President. Well, the tour is over and I hope you enjoyed your trip around Middle Tennessee State Univesity. Please drive carefully as you exit the campus. Bye.

[fieldmarshaldj]

^Good stuff. Keep up the good work, Mr. President.

[Rural King]

A very nice set of pics. I for one have never been on the MTSU campus, so getting a photo tour is a real treat! Thanks for showing off the campus on the forum, because I'm sure I'm not the only person who is unfamilar with the campus.

[Fallingwater]

A very nice set of pics. I for one have never been on the MTSU campus, so getting a photo tour is a real treat! Thanks for showing off the campus on the forum, because I'm sure I'm not the only person who is unfamilar with the campus.

Thank you Fieldmarshall and Rural King,

RK, I think one thing that might surprise many first time visitors is the size of the MTSU campus. Today was the first day that I actually traversed it by foot. I was never very impressed with the buildings on the older part of campus although the interiors of them (Buildings such as the James Union Bldg) are pretty nice but, I tell you, the stuff they are doing now is really impressive and these pictures cannot in anyway capture the size, scope and impressiveness of these buildings and the overall plans altogether. There is much which I did not photograph and construction projects are many. I saw Monohan Hall being renovated; a newly constructed soccer and track field; newly constructed Nursing Bldg.; Large new entrance gate on North Rutherford Blvd.; and something is being built across Rutherford Blvd - Also, Middle Tennessee Blvd. is being widened. These are all projects which are under construction at present. Other buildings are just a few year's old. The sports facitlities are all first class and my complaint about that part of campus where MTSU teams play their games is that it all looks kind of antiseptic (needs more trees and landscaping). Anyway, MTSU has a Master Plan which is coming to fruition and it is transforming the campus into a real showpiece.

There is one building in particular on the older part of campus that really needs to be torn down though. It is not a new building but it gets my vote for "Ugly Campus Bldg. USA." It is called "Peck Hall." It's atrocious.

[Justiceham]

Thank you Fieldmarshall and Rural King,

RK, I think one thing that might surprise many first time visitors is the size of the MTSU campus. Today was the first day that I actually traversed it by foot. I was never very impressed with the buildings on the older part of campus although the interiors of them (Buildings such as the James Union Bldg) are pretty nice but, I tell you, the stuff they are doing now is really impressive and these pictures cannot in anyway capture the size, scope and impressiveness of these buildings and the overall plans altogether. There is much which I did not photograph and construction projects are many. I saw Monohan Hall being renovated; a newly constructed soccer and track field; newly constructed Nursing Bldg.; Large new entrance gate on North Rutherford Blvd.; and something is being built across Rutherford Blvd - Also, Middle Tennessee Blvd. is being widened. These are all projects which are under construction at present. Other buildings are just a few year's old. The sports facitlities are all first class and my complaint about that part of campus where MTSU teams play their games is that it all looks kind of antiseptic (needs more trees and landscaping). Anyway, MTSU has a Master Plan which is coming to fruition and it is transforming the campus into a real showpiece.

There is one building in particular on the older part of campus that really needs to be torn down though. It is not a new building but it gets my vote for "Ugly Campus Bldg. USA." It is called "Peck Hall." It's atrocious.

Thank you for the pics, your skills are first rate. Yes, MTSU is transforming the campus with a load of new projects. The new baseball stadium is scheduled to open in spring of 08' and Science building in 2011. I agree, Peck Hall is an eyesore while all KOM and the adjoining Midgett Building just need elevators and a new coat of paint. Besides the parking space issues, the sidewalks are a bit too narrow considering the number of students.

Edited September 17, 2006 by Justiceham

[Relient J]

Thanks for another great photo set, Fallingwater. On the subject of the naked-eye observatory: I don't get it. I don't recall ever being able to see a star other than our own sun from the campus of MTSU. At night light pollution is intense, and for good reason: MTSU is not a rural campus. It's just a brief ride down Main Street from downtown Murfreesboro and is surrounded by housing and retail. I just don't understand the practicality of a naked-eye observatory in that type of environment.

[L'burgnative]

Great pics fallingwater; its been about two or three years since I've roamed around MTSU, so its probably doubled in size since I've been there. I've been in the student rec. center and it is pretty impressive. My brother and sister-in-law are Middle Grads and I debated going there when I was in the market but Middle at the time only had a two year Engineering program; has that changed since then?

[L'burgnative]

Sorry, but it just dawned on me. Are you really the president of MTSU, because in your post "Clarksville past, Boro present" you said "being an AP graduate you hate MTSU to the marrow of my bones. And hope that they would loss every game they play;" thats not nice.

Edited September 22, 2006 by L'burgnative

[Fallingwater]

Sorry, but it just dawned on me. Are you really the president of MTSU, because in your post "Clarksville past, Boro present" you said "being an AP graduate you hate MTSU to the marrow of my bones. And hope that they would loss every game they play;" thats not nice.

Hehe, no, 'L'bergnative, I am definitely NOT the President of MTSU. I merely used 'creative liscense' in order to set up my tour of the campus framing my photos in a fictional narrative. Also, I am not a graduate of Austin Peay nor did I ever attend the University as a student (I went elsewhere). I did grow up in Clarksville and have been a 'fan' of Austin Peay and have spent a lot of time on that campus. My words in the thread you mention are, " Growing up an Austin Peay fan when MTSU was in the OVC made me a die hard Middle hater..." so I never claimed in that thread to have ever been a student or graduate of Austin Peay - merely a supporter. BTW, my Peay photos can be found in the link below if you care to view them and if you care to enlarge any which might be of interest then simply click on the image then click on 'All Sizes."

http://www.flickr.com/photos/fallingwater1...7774984/detail/

Edited September 23, 2006 by Fallingwater