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Pictures from the Past: Exploring Stony Brook 50 Years Ago

Posted on by Kristen Nyitray

Thanks to SBU alum Daniel Lack (Class of ’75, B.S. in Biology), a fascinating collection of fifteen historical photographs offers a rare glimpse into campus life during the university’s formative years. Dr. Lack took these pictures as a student in 1975 and generously contributed them to the University Archives to help preserve Stony Brook’s history. These photographs of Stony Brook reveal a striking contrast to the bustling, modern research institution we know today. Half a century ago, Stony Brook was still taking shape – many of the now-familiar buildings were newly constructed or yet to rise from the drawing board.

The archival images show wide-open fields, sparse clusters of concrete academic buildings, and fewer trees compared to the landscaped grounds of today. The scenes highlight not just how much the campus has changed physically, but how far the university has come in its mission and spirit. Over the past five decades, Stony Brook has transformed from a young state college into a leading public research university – a center of innovation, discovery, and community. These photographs remind us of that remarkable journey and the people who helped shape it. Below are a few photographs from the collection.

Explore the full set and see how the Stony Brook campus has grown and evolved over the past 50 years.

All photographs by Daniel Lack, 1975, BS Biology. Pictured clockwise: ​Library (left), Bridge to Nowhere (center), Chemistry (background), 1975; Basic Health Sciences Research Tower, 1975; Fine Arts, 1975; ​Psychology A (left), Earth and Space Sciences (center), Library (right), 1975.
Kristen Nyitray

Kristen Nyitray

Associate Librarian; Director, Special Collections and University Archives; and University Archivist at Stony Brook University Libraries
Contact her for research assistance with rare books, manuscript collections, historical maps, and SBU history. E-mail: kristen.nyitray@stonybrook.edu.
Kristen Nyitray

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