The stadium built on a Civil War training camp's grounds
In short: Long before it hosted Big Ten football, this site served as a Union Army training camp. Today, Camp Randall Stadium is a storied landmark where traditions like 'Jump Around' were born from student protests, and where a simple paint color choice helped secure a winning home record.
Camp Randall Stadium, located on the University of Wisconsin campus in Madison, has evolved from a rudimentary athletic ground into a major collegiate landmark. The site's history is deeply rooted in the American Civil War, having served as a training camp for the Union Army. It was named after Alexander Randall, a former Governor who later served as the United States Postmaster General. Following an outcry from veterans who wanted to prevent the land from being sold for building lots, the state purchased the site in 1893 and gifted it to the university.
The stadium's physical evolution has been marked by both necessity and accidents. In 1914, wooden bleachers were condemned as unsafe, and after a partial collapse during a 1915 game, the state funded a concrete-and-steel replacement that opened on October 6, 1917. The facility has seen continuous upgrades, including the addition of a west side upper deck in 1966 and a massive reconstruction project between 2002 and 2004 that added luxury boxes and a five-story office building.
The stadium is also a theater for unique psychological and social phenomena. The visiting team locker room was famously painted a bright pink to influence opponents, but the university later switched to 'prison blue'—a shade used in Wisconsin Department of Corrections cells—to create a calming effect. This change coincided with a 43–4 home record. Additionally, the stadium has survived intense student tension, such as the 2003 protest where fans sat in defiance after officials tried to cancel the 'Jump Around' tradition, a move that was reversed just two days later.
Beyond football, the venue has hosted Green Bay Packers exhibition games and even outdoor ice hockey matches. Today, it remains a vital hub for Wisconsin athletics, featuring retired numbers for legends like Alan Ameche and Ron Dayne, and hosting the 'Fifth Quarter' musical tradition.
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Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: Camp Randall Stadium
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