Louisiana State University began in 1860 as a small, all-male military school near Pineville. The institution survived the Civil War, Reconstruction politics, and budgetary difficulties to become a nationally and internationally recognized leader in research and teaching. A devastating fire destroyed the campus in 1869, and the school moved to Baton Rouge, where it has remained. Successive moves to larger campuses in 1887 and 1925 created greater opportunities in academics, student life, and athletics. Academics began with classical and engineering courses. New majors in the arts, literature, engineering, agriculture, and the sciences evolved, along with research in those fields. Student life changed from military regimentation to coeducation and students' freedom to live off campus and make their own decisions. Intercollegiate athletics began in 1893 with baseball and football games against Tulane, and the LSU Tigers have since won numerous championships. These evolutionary steps all helped to create Louisiana's flagship university.

Papier-mâché tigers, riots on the field, Chinese bandits, tailgating before a trip to the stadium nicknamed “Death Valley�—all these things and more describe the events, places, and people associated with over 100 years of football at Louisiana State University. From its beginnings in 1893 on the Parade Grounds of the University’s downtown campus, to Huey Long’s intervention in expanding the football stadium on the current campus, to the fully enclosed Death Valley of today, LSU football and its die-hard fans have played a very large role in the life of the university, the city of Baton Rouge, and the state itself. Telling the team’s story through stunning black-and-white images, Historic Photos of LSU Football presents nearly 100 years of LSU football history as only the camera can. Join us in reliving some of the most thrilling moments in LSU sports history. Geaux Tigers!