The photograph shows the amorphous group of
buildings that make up the Mechanical Hall
In the center is the Mechanical Hall proper.
In the background to the right, the smokestack
belches black smoke into the air. On the right
the Mechanical Hall, three of the popular striped
canopies serve to block out the sun. This
photograph shows almost no vines clinging to the
building that are present in other pictures of
The original building for Mechanical Hall was
in 1892. It served as the "nucleus of the
group that continues to grow in every direction"
(Lafferty, 193?). Soon after, an annex was added
to Mechanical Hall. At the same time as the
publication of the University Map of the
Buildings and Grounds (1918), a new
workshop was constructed for the Mechanical
The mission of the Special Collections Research Center is to locate and preserve materials documenting the social, cultural, economic, and political history of the Commonwealth of Kentucky. Materials are acquired regardless of format and include both primary and secondary sources; Kentuckiana is collected comprehensively. Special Collections maintains a records management programfor all records generated by the University and serves as its archival repository for permanent records. As part of the mission, the Special Collections Research Center advances and supports the research, teaching, and scholarship of the University and beyond by preserving and providing access to its holdings.