Model 1863 3.0 Inch 10lb Confederate Parrot Field Rifle

Chester, SC. 2025

 

Chester County Courthouse

 

Chester, SC. 2025

Chester, SC is the county seat for Chester County and was established about 1785.  It developed as a leading trading center for the surrounding farming community and saw rapid growth when the first railroad came through in 1851.  

Sunset over Notre Dame

Notre Dame, IN  2025

 

Ara Parseghian Gate

Notre Dame, IN. 2025

Ara Parseghian was ND's coach during the years I attended.  He announced his retirement after the end of the 1974 regular season.  He was made an honorary member of the Class of 1975.

 

Knute Rockne Gate

 

Notre Dame, IN  2025

The main entrance gates to the stadium at Notre Dame are named after the greatest ND coaches.  Each gate features a statue of that coach.  You can see Knute's statue to the right of the gate.  The other coaches recognized are Leahy, Parseghian, Devine and Holtz,  all who won National Championships during their coaching years.

The House that Rockne Built

Notre Dame, IN  2025

 I doubt Knute Rockne would recognize his stadium today.  The stadium has undergone significant upgrades over the years, the most recent being completed in 2014.  At that time three buildings were added featuring event space, premium stadium seating, classrooms, as well as student recreational and dining facilities.  This is the view from the 7th floor of the Duncan Student Center.

Hesburgh Library - Word of Life Mural

 

Notre Dame, IN  2025

Named for Fr. Theodore Hesburgh, university president (1952-1987) the library faces Notre Dame stadium and features the "Word of Life" mural,  other wise known as "Touchdown Jesus".  

Howard Hall

Notre Dame, IN  2025

I entered Notre Dame the fall of 1971 as part of the Class of 1975.  My class was the last all-male class to enter Notre Dame, which started admitting women in the fall of 1972.  I spent the next four years living in this dorm.  In 1987 it was converted to a women's dorm

 

Sacred Heart Basilica

Notre Dame, IN. 2025

 

The Grotto of Our Lady of Lourdes

Notre Dame, IN  2025

The Grotto at Notre Dame is a sacred place where students and visitors can come to pray and light a candle.  It was built in 1896 using boulders from nearby farms and is one-seventh the size of the grotto at Lourdes, where the Virgin Mary visited Saint Bernadette 18 times in 1858.  The rosary is prayed here everyday at 6:45pm, rain or shine.

 

God, Country, Notre Dame

 

Notre Dame, IN  2025

Administration Building - Main Building

Notre Dame, IN. 2025

 

Washington Hall

Notre Dame, IN. 2025

 

Gargoyle

Notre Dame, IN  2025

The campus features a lot of "gothic" type architecture,  which they have tried to maintain even in the most recent construction.

 

Fr Sorin and the Administration Building

Notre Dame, IN. 2025

Behind a statue of the founder of the University of Notre Dame, Fr Sorin,  stands the administration building.  The dome is real gold, with a statue of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the university's name sake.  The dome can be seen for miles and miles and has been regilded 12 times throughout history with the most recent being in 2023 

 

Ryan Hall

Notre Dame, IN. 2025

 

South Quad - Rockne Building

Notre Dame, IN  2025

The dorm in which I lived is off to the right, just out of the picture.  The building here is the Rockne Memorial Building which houses a pool, basketball courts, handball courts and other athletic facilities for students to use.  These days, I suspect it doesn't get much use, since there are more modern facilities available on campus. 

 

Reunion Weekend

Notre Dame, IN  2025

I'm back after taking a week off from blogging to attend to personal family matters.  During that time my wife and I attended my 50 Year Reunion Weekend.  It was 50 years ago I graduated from the University of  Notre Dame.  Reunions are held every year for classes separated by 5 years.  So the following classes were represented this year:  '55, '60, '65, '70, '75, '80 .... up until the class of 2020.  My class had the biggest turnout ever for a 50 year reunion with about 480 alums.  It was a great weekend meeting up with old friends and making new ones.  I'll be featuring some iconic scenes from campus in the following posts.