Aggieville
Encyclopedia
Aggieville is the name of six square blocks consisting of college-age oriented bars, restaurants and shops in Manhattan, Kansas
, USA.
) had to purchase their textbook
s downtown, which, in the age before the automobile
, was inconvenient due to distance and often, mud-soaked roads. The college decided to build a student bookstore and dining facility closer to campus, but it was shut down in June 1899 after a political upheaval in the college's Board of Regents
. That September, a group of students started the Student Co-Operative Association, and bought the bookstore.
That bookstore would serve as the cornerstone for a developing shopping district that catered specifically to college students. What was once a sparsely populated collection of houses was fast becoming a rich and diverse shopping center, the first of its kind in Kansas. Over time, the area would come to be called Aggieville, after the school's mascot, the Kansas State Agricultural College Aggies. Even when the school's mascot was changed to the Kansas State Wildcats, the name Aggieville stuck.
After World War I
, Aggieville experienced enormous growth. Trolley lines were built, and later paved over during the car boom of the 1940s. In the 1950s, bars and restaurants began to develop and over the next 30 years, Aggieville would become known as an entertainment and dining district.
With the passing of the National Minimum Drinking Age Act of 1984, Aggieville saw a slight dip in business at its bars and saw more shops and restaurants move in. However, with the hiring of Jon Wefald
as Kansas State University's new president in 1986, enrollment at the college nearly doubled over the next 20 years and with the increased student population, Aggieville saw a new boom in all types of businesses: shops, bars and eateries.
Aggieville was home to riots
in 1984 and 1986, some of the earliest collegiate sports riots in the United States
. In 1998, Aggieville played host to a massive celebration after the team's
first defeat of Nebraska
since 1969, which included the tearing down of the goal posts and dragging them, en masse, to the rooftop of Rusty's Last Chance.
Aggieville also plays host yearly to the "Little Apple New Year's Eve
" celebration, where revelers pack the streets of the district to help ring in the new year. At midnight, a brightly-lit apple is dropped from the Varney's Bookstore marquee. The celebration brought an estimated 10,000 people to Aggieville on December 31, 2005, and was featured live on Fox News. A week before each Spring Break, Aggieville plays host to its annual "St. Patrick's Day in the Ville" celebration. This event is called "Fake Patty's Day" by locals because it actually takes place a week or so before the real St. Patrick's Day. Emerald-clad partygoers pack the streets early in the morning and stay late into the evening to watch the annual St. Patrick's Day 5K race and to sample Aggieville's bars. Fake Patrick's Day typically takes place 1 week before the actual St. Patrick's Day. The Parade and Road race take place on the traditional Saturday St. Patrick's Day. 2008 Aggieville will celebrate 30 years of St.Patrick's Day Parade and Road race. The "Fake Patty's Day" celebration was started by university students who wanted to celebrate together in Manhattan rather than miss real St. Patty's while on vacation over spring break.
Today, Aggieville is famous for its bars, its friendly "residents" and its massive, tumultuous celebrations following Kansas State football and basketball victories. It is a rich, vibrant and eclectic district with over 100 shops and eateries that serves as an entertainment district for Kansas State students and residents of the surrounding area.
Manhattan, Kansas
Manhattan is a city located in the northeastern part of the state of Kansas in the United States, at the junction of the Kansas River and Big Blue River. It is the county seat of Riley County and the city extends into Pottawatomie County. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 52,281...
, USA.
History
Before 1898, students at the Kansas State Agricultural College (now Kansas State UniversityKansas State University
Kansas State University, commonly shortened to K-State, is an institution of higher learning located in Manhattan, Kansas, in the United States...
) had to purchase their textbook
Textbook
A textbook or coursebook is a manual of instruction in any branch of study. Textbooks are produced according to the demands of educational institutions...
s downtown, which, in the age before the automobile
Automobile
An automobile, autocar, motor car or car is a wheeled motor vehicle used for transporting passengers, which also carries its own engine or motor...
, was inconvenient due to distance and often, mud-soaked roads. The college decided to build a student bookstore and dining facility closer to campus, but it was shut down in June 1899 after a political upheaval in the college's Board of Regents
Board of Regents
In the United States, a board often governs public institutions of higher education, which include both state universities and community colleges. In each US state, such boards may govern either the state university system, individual colleges and universities, or both. In general they operate as...
. That September, a group of students started the Student Co-Operative Association, and bought the bookstore.
That bookstore would serve as the cornerstone for a developing shopping district that catered specifically to college students. What was once a sparsely populated collection of houses was fast becoming a rich and diverse shopping center, the first of its kind in Kansas. Over time, the area would come to be called Aggieville, after the school's mascot, the Kansas State Agricultural College Aggies. Even when the school's mascot was changed to the Kansas State Wildcats, the name Aggieville stuck.
After World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, Aggieville experienced enormous growth. Trolley lines were built, and later paved over during the car boom of the 1940s. In the 1950s, bars and restaurants began to develop and over the next 30 years, Aggieville would become known as an entertainment and dining district.
With the passing of the National Minimum Drinking Age Act of 1984, Aggieville saw a slight dip in business at its bars and saw more shops and restaurants move in. However, with the hiring of Jon Wefald
Jon Wefald
Jon Michael Wefald is an American educator and served as the twelfth President of Kansas State University.-Biography:...
as Kansas State University's new president in 1986, enrollment at the college nearly doubled over the next 20 years and with the increased student population, Aggieville saw a new boom in all types of businesses: shops, bars and eateries.
Aggieville was home to riots
Aggieville Riots
The Aggieville Riots occurred in 1984 and 1986 in Manhattan, Kansas, following football games between Kansas State University and the University of Kansas. They were some of the earliest collegiate sports-related riots in the United States....
in 1984 and 1986, some of the earliest collegiate sports riots in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. In 1998, Aggieville played host to a massive celebration after the team's
Kansas State Wildcats football
The Kansas State Wildcats football program is the intercollegiate football program of the Kansas State University Wildcats. The program is classified in the NCAA's Division I Bowl Subdivision, and the team competes in the Big 12 Conference...
first defeat of Nebraska
Nebraska Cornhuskers football
The Nebraska Cornhuskers represent the University of Nebraska–Lincoln in college football. The program has established itself as a traditional powerhouse, and has the fourth-most all-time victories of any NCAA Division I-A team. Nebraska is one of only six football programs in NCAA Division I-A...
since 1969, which included the tearing down of the goal posts and dragging them, en masse, to the rooftop of Rusty's Last Chance.
Aggieville also plays host yearly to the "Little Apple New Year's Eve
New Year's Eve
New Year's Eve is observed annually on December 31, the final day of any given year in the Gregorian calendar. In modern societies, New Year's Eve is often celebrated at social gatherings, during which participants dance, eat, consume alcoholic beverages, and watch or light fireworks to mark the...
" celebration, where revelers pack the streets of the district to help ring in the new year. At midnight, a brightly-lit apple is dropped from the Varney's Bookstore marquee. The celebration brought an estimated 10,000 people to Aggieville on December 31, 2005, and was featured live on Fox News. A week before each Spring Break, Aggieville plays host to its annual "St. Patrick's Day in the Ville" celebration. This event is called "Fake Patty's Day" by locals because it actually takes place a week or so before the real St. Patrick's Day. Emerald-clad partygoers pack the streets early in the morning and stay late into the evening to watch the annual St. Patrick's Day 5K race and to sample Aggieville's bars. Fake Patrick's Day typically takes place 1 week before the actual St. Patrick's Day. The Parade and Road race take place on the traditional Saturday St. Patrick's Day. 2008 Aggieville will celebrate 30 years of St.Patrick's Day Parade and Road race. The "Fake Patty's Day" celebration was started by university students who wanted to celebrate together in Manhattan rather than miss real St. Patty's while on vacation over spring break.
Today, Aggieville is famous for its bars, its friendly "residents" and its massive, tumultuous celebrations following Kansas State football and basketball victories. It is a rich, vibrant and eclectic district with over 100 shops and eateries that serves as an entertainment district for Kansas State students and residents of the surrounding area.