History of Homecoming in Timeline

1891

In 1891, the Missouri Tigers first faced off against the Kansas Jayhawks in the first installment of the Border War, the oldest college football rivalry west of the Mississippi River. The intense rivalry originally took place at neutral sites, usually in Kansas City, Missouri, until a new conference regulation was announced that required intercollegiate football games to be played on collegiate campuses. To renew excitement in the rivalry, ensure adequate attendance at the new location, and celebrate the first meeting of the two teams on the Mizzou campus in Columbia, Missouri, Mizzou Athletic Director Chester Brewer invited all alumni to "come home" for the game in 1911. Along with the football game, the celebration included a parade and spirit rally with a bonfire. The event was a success, with nearly 10,000 alumni coming home to take part in the celebration and watch the Tigers and Jayhawks play to a 3–3 tie.

October 10, 1903

Although it did not initially include an intercollegiate football game, Northern Illinois University has one of the longest-celebrated homecoming traditions in the country. The alumni football game played on October 10, 1903, began NIU's homecoming tradition.

April 21, 1909

Although it did not include an intercollegiate football game, Southwestern held its first Homecoming on Wednesday, April 21, 1909, in San Gabriel Park. Former students raised funds, provided housing, prepared and served a barbecue supper, and decorated the town buildings. Members of the senior class waited tables.

November 1909

Baylor's homecoming history dates back to November 1909 and included a parade, reunion parties, and an afternoon football game (the final game of the 1909 season), a tradition that continued and celebrated its 100th anniversary in 2009. There was a gap between 1910 and 1915 when there was no homecoming event; however there has been continuity since 1915.

1910

In 1910, University of Illinois held a weeklong homecoming celebration that concluded with an intercollegiate football game. This tradition has continued every year since then, making it the longest continuous Homecoming celebration in the nation, though, in 1918, because of the influenza pandemic, only the football game took place.

1952

Because football and alumni activities are the focus of homecoming for college students, Prom is often scheduled for the evening. At Southwestern Oklahoma State University, after a full day of parades, alumni bands and football games, the Homecoming dance will be held at 9 p.m. in the Memorial Student Center, marking the culmination of homecoming. In addition, due to the many homecoming events, some colleges will hold homecoming dances the following night. In 1952, Bates College's "Return to Bates" ball on Saturdays from 8:30 p.m. to midnight was performed live by Lloyd Ravenell's orchestra. This organized sequence of events reflects that homecoming is often the most important social event after vibrant parades and athletic events.

1952

The backings court is a representative group of students that, in a coeducational institution, consists of a king and queen, and possibly prince(s) and princess(es). In 1952, Bates College seniors played a central role in organizing homecoming events, including Friday night assemblies, athletic events, and homecoming dances. These student-led traditions symbolize senior leadership roles and are often associated with homecoming courts at universities in the mid-20th century. In a single-sex institution, the homecoming court will usually consist of only a king and a prince (for an all-male school) or a queen and a princess (for an all-female school), although some schools may choose to join with single-sex schools of the other sex to elect the homecoming court jointly.

1999

At some schools, the homecoming rally ends with a bonfire (in which old wood structures, the rival school's memorabilia and other items are burned in a controlled fire). Many colleges and high schools no longer hold bonfires because of accidents that have occurred surrounding these events in the past. The most well known accident took place in 1999, when 12 students were killed and 27 others were injured at Texas A&M University when a 40-foot-tall (12 m) pile of logs that had been assembled for a bonfire collapsed. However, this incident was not associated with homecoming—A&M is one of the few schools that do not organize a homecoming, although it has many unique traditions. The bonfire was associated with the annual rivalry game between A&M and the University of Texas.

2000

In Newfoundland and Labrador, communities have a "Come Home Year" where people who have moved away from their town come back from across Canada. In 2000, there was a provincial "Come Home Year", where many people came back to visit their various communities.

2024

At schools without athletic programs, the centerpiece event is usually a banquet, where alumni are recognized. This format is also used for alumni events of high schools that have either closed or consolidated with other high schools; the high school classes continue to meet and celebrate their years at their now-defunct alma mater. In 2024, Lafayette College held an annual alumni banquet for the men's hockey program and hosted many alumni games to keep alumni connected and traditions alive. In other cases, alumni of closed schools will participate in the consolidated school's homecoming, where special recognition is often given to alumni of the once-separate schools.

2024

While most schools schedule their homecoming activities around football, smaller schools that do not have a football team may plan the annual event at another time of the year. In these instances, basketball, ice hockey or soccer serves as the "big boy game" for students and alumni. Often in smaller towns with smaller populations, the parade is omitted. The University of Southern Maine, which has no football team, organized homecoming celebrations around other sports. In 2024, the school became the focus of homecoming events when it hosted a men's ice hockey blue-gold showdown and a hockey game on homecoming weekend.

1891

October 10, 1903

April 21, 1909

November 1909

1910

1952

1952

1999

2000

2024

2024

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