Campus Corner

Campus Corner is a commercial area in Norman, Oklahoma directly north of the University of Oklahoma campus. The growth of Campus Corner has been directly related with the growth of the university campus. Over the years, many merchants have occupied the Corner. Some include restaurants, clothing stores, laundry facilities, pharmacies, and beauty salons. A tragic fire destroyed most of Campus Corner in 1929,cite web | author=Turk, Randall | year=2006| title=Turning the Corder | format=HTML | work=Sooner Magazine | url=http://www.oufoundation.org/sm/winter2006 | accessdate=2006-06-14] but that only led to further expansion later on. Before the university constructed its three main dormitories south of campus, nearly all student housing was located north of Boyd Street, the northern boundary of campus. This area exploded since at the time students were not allowed to have cars and a need arose for services within walking distance. Because of the close proximity between merchants and students, a unique relationship was formed. Many activities were held on the Corner. Some of those included the RUF/NEKS initiation, the public shaving of beards to signal the end of Engineers Week, and tobacco spitting contests. [Cite paper | author= | title=The College Student ...as the Merchant Sees Him | publisher=Editorial Projects for Education, Inc. | date=1961 | version= | url=http://digital.libraries.ou.edu/sooner/articles/p5_1961v33n8_OCR.pdf | accessdate=2006-06-13 ]

After the construction of the dorms south of campus, the popularity of Campus Corner waned and it went through some tough times. More students were living further from campus as dorms and Greek houses changed locations and more students began to drive. In the 1970s, retailers began to build malls and strip centers further west of campus with better access to Norman's primary highway, Interstate 35.

Since the Sooners won the 2000 BCS National Championship Game, the area has slowly began to reemerge. The city improved the infrastructure of the area including utility lines, lights, security systems, landscaping, parking with 1 hour limit, curbs, sidewalks, and traffic controls. Many of the buildings themselves have needed to be renovated to meet more modern and stricter city codes. In 2003, head OU football coach Bob Stoops became part owner of a new sports bar in Campus Corner that started a wave of new restaurants opening. Since then many new restaurants and bars have opened up joining some of the classic fixtures of Campus Corner.

References

*cite web | title=Campus Corner - History | work= | url=http://www.oucampuscorner.com/history.html | accessdate=2006-06-13

Notes

External links

* [http://www.oucampuscorner.com Campus Corner homepage]