NC State putting on big party for The Brickyard’s 50th birthday this Saturday!

If you went to NC State then you’re obviously familiar with the Brickyard, but do you know its story?

Before it was actually made of bricks, it was a bunch of “warped planks sitting atop the muddy red quagmire that separated the old Erdahl-Cloyd Student Center from the shiny cylindrical marvel called Harrelson Hall that rose near the railroad tracks on NC State’s main campus. (NCSU)

**Note: Harrelson Hall was the first cylindrical building built on a college campus in the United States, however, it was torn down a few years ago because it was sinking. What it once stood is now a raised park.

In 1966, NC State decided it was time to do something a little more permanent and they started paving the area with red and white brick. They dubbed the area “University Plaza” but everybody just called it ‘The Brickyard.’

The Brickyard became a central gathering place for students. It was where they congregated, grabbed lunch, studied on a nice day, or just relaxed. It was where they celebrated and where they protested. It became a big part of the NC State college experience, so much so that when they graduated students would steal a brick as a memory of their time in Raleigh.

If you went to NC State, then you are part of this history. So make sure you join the alumni association and NCSU Libraries as they host the Brickyard’s 50th birthday party this Saturday (Sept. 22) from 10 am to noon. (meaning you can attend and still get home to grill-out before watching NC State vs. Marshall at 7pm.

Help @NCStateAlumni and @ncsulibraries wish the Brickyard a happy 50th birthday! Join us on Sat, 9/22, for a celebration that includes music, #NCState history and #Wolfpack spirit. We’ll also be collecting donations to support the @FoodBankCENC. Details: https://t.co/KmEXRhuE1W pic.twitter.com/jWZIXVYUNf

— NC State University (@NCState) September 20, 2018

Attending will cost you $5 if you’re a member of the alumni association and $10 for non-members. Kids are free. You can register here.

Here is a list of what they will have going on…