In 1957, Normandy School District purchased the Bellerive Country Club, a 128 acre tract of land which included a club house, swimming pool, changing house, tennis courts and a golf course. Normandy officials hoped to provide affordable higher education to local high school graduates whose numbers were expected to triple by 1970. By the fall of 1960, a two year college known as the Normandy Residence Center opened with 205 freshman, 4 faculty and one administrator. By 1963, with enrollments exceeding all expectations, the Normandy Residence Center became the University of Missouri-St. Louis.

 

Administration building with Bugg Lake


For more information on the founding of UMSL, please visit the University Archives for collection SL: 0/1/1; History of UMSL. 

The University Archives also holds the papers of Ward E. Barnes, former superintendent of the Normandy School District and the "founding father" of UMSL.  View the finding aid to the Ward E. Barnes Papers