Butler University operated in Irvington from 1875 until 1928. The campus used to stand south of Washington Street and east of Emerson Avenue. Hundreds of people associated with the small college relocated to the neighborhood. Although not as well known today, the names Butler and Irvington were often used interchangeably for decades. The institution moved out of Irvington because it was hemmed in by two major rail lines and there was more room for growth at the Fairview (current) campus. Most of the buildings in Irvington fell into disrepair during the Great Depression and the land was eventually redeveloped for returning veterans and their families after World War II. Only the Bona Thompson Library remains in 2011.
This photo was taken from an airplane during the summer of 1920. You can see the main administration building, the athletic complex, the women's dorm, and the central academic building. None of this remains today. Click on the photo to make it larger.
Think of how Irvington and Broadripple area would look now if Butler never moved.
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