[media-credit name=’AJ MACLEAN/Herald photo’ align=’alignnone’ width=’648′][/media-credit]This is part of a series detailing Madison’s sesquicentennial year and the times and changes the city has seen.

Most students know Camp Randall houses one of the largest stadiums in the nation, but what many students do not know is that its history dates back to 1861.

Before University of Wisconsin students could cheer on the Badgers at Camp Randall Stadium, the Wisconsin Agricultural Society used the site for its state fair grounds.

The society handed the land over to the government in 1861 to be used as a military training post during the Civil War. More than 70,000 troops trained at the site, which eventually led to the naming of Camp Randall, in honor of Gov. Alexander W. Randall.

Once the war ended, the land was given back to the university and converted into a memorial athletic field in 1893.

Football fans entering the Camp Randall grounds today enter through the memorial arch, built in 1912 to honor Wisconsin’s Civil War soldiers.

“It represents the soldiers who trained on these grounds,” Associate Athletic Director of Operations John Chadima said.

The stadium has seen its share of improvements since athletes played the opening match Nov. 3, 1917, and has since hosted more than 400 football games.

The most recent construction on the site included expanding the third floor, building additional handicapped seating on the fifth level, and adding 72 suites and 300 club seats to the top three levels.

The changes were completed last August and also included a new video scoreboard and sound system, according to the UW Athletics website.

UW freshman Brent Schmitz said students benefited from the additional seating.

“It gives us more room to go crazy,” Schmitz said.

Camp Randall Stadium began as a wooden bleacher stadium in 1913, but following a collapse of the structure, a 10,000-seat concrete stadium was built four years later.

The seating capacity of the stadium has also increased steadily over the years, jumping to 52,788 seats in 1955, according to the website.

The second deck, added in 1966, raised seating to its current capacity of more than 76,000 occupants.

Although construction projects are nothing new for the site, Chadima said the structure has not been renovated since the ’60s.

The current project consists of renovating already-existing parts of the stadium — including the lower west concourse, entry gates and restrooms — as well as enhancing concession stands, he added.

“It’s really digging into the old core of the stadium,” Chadima said.

UW anticipates final seating will increase to 80,000 once renovations are complete August 2005.

Chadima added the changes have enhanced the stadium’s atmosphere, which he said is important for an intimidating game-day environment.

Schmitz said Camp Randall is especially important to students because it’s a central place that creates a high level of energy.

Chadima agreed the stadium and surrounding land provide a layout different from any other.

“In my mind, it’s very unique to any athletic field,” Chadima said.