1911 Arthur J. Elder Bird's-Eye View Map of the University of Kentucky (Richard Rummell)

A rare 1911 Arthur J. Elder / Littig bird's-eye view map of the University of Kentucky - here in its first edition. This view is in the style of the more famous contemporaneous university viewmaker Richard Rummell and was published by Littig, also Rummell's publisher. It is one of only 4 known university views drawn by Elder.

A Closer Look

The view looks south on the University of Kentucky from a high point above the intersection of Administration Drive and South Limestone, suggesting the view was likely drawn from a balloon at about 300 feet in elevation. The Main Building is presented at center. Opened in 1882, this is the only surviving building of the university's four original structures. To the immediate right of the Main Building is UK's second oldest building, the Ezra Gillis Building, long known as the Chemistry Building. To the left is Barker Hall (1901), originally known as the Alumni Building, the later as the Old Gymnasium, and which today houses the school's Army and Air Force ROTC programs. Another recognizable building, Miller Hall (1898), originally known as Science Hall, appears just behind the Main Building. At the far left, the school's first athletic field is evident - this area is not a parking lot.

Rummell or Elder?

Such university views are more commonly associated with the landscape artist Richard Rummell, who produced dozens for Littig. The views were based on watercolors uniformly drawn from an altitude of about 300 feet, suggesting a hot-air balloon. From these watercolors, copperplates were engraved, and a limited number of engravings were issued. Until discovering this view, we assumed that all similar views were by Rummell, but it seems that the views were in such demand that Littig hired other artists to sketch schools in different parts of the country. We know Elder produced at least 4 views, but possibly more.

University of Kentucky

The University of Kentucky (UK), located in Lexington, Kentucky, was founded in 1865 as the Agricultural and Mechanical College of Kentucky. It was part of the Morrill Land-Grant Act, passed by Congress to promote education in agriculture, engineering, and mechanical arts. Originally affiliated with Kentucky University (Transylvania University), it became a separate institution in 1878. UK has since become a major research center focusing on medicine, engineering, and agriculture.

Publication History and Census

This view was drawn by Arthur J. Elder and published in 1911 by W. T. Litting and Company. We note at least two variants: the present example, which is almost certainly the first edition, and a second that has additional text below the main map. Scarce.