The idea of investigating the buildings of the Sam Houston State University campus in Huntsville, Texas began in the spring of 1997. Partial requirements for RTV 330 included broad planning, but not executing, of some sort of television program. Intrigued with the campus grounds since my first visit during high school, I immediately decided upon some of university history project. The concept captivated the instructor as well, a staunch fan of documentaries, and he decided that such a project could be produced.

Therefore I was asked back to the course for the 1997-98 school year where the program would become the class project. I was there to lead and help more fully develop a multi-part documentary series entitled Beacon of Education: the Buildings of Sam Houston State University for eventual air on KSHU television.

The documentary was to tell the university's history by identifying those people honored on weathered plaques and articulately carved cornerstones found on the sides of buildings. Just who were Belvin, Evans, Kirkley, Pritchett and what exactly were their contributions to the campus?

Research consisted of visiting the Peabody Library, where we setup a scanner and spent a week scanning old copies of the Alcalde; the Thomason Room of the Gresham Library, where we unearthed treasures in the university archives; interviewing a handful of current and former instructors; and taking a self-guided tour of Austin Hall.

Of course, one's senior year is hardly a time to begin something this momentous. Graduation was around the corner and before long those four years in Huntsville were a distant memory.

Fast-forward six years: rediscovering my research materials I find significant changes to the campus skyline. Since the documentary was never completed – and a box of useful and interesting information waited to be unveiled – this website was created in 2003 to document the changes across campus from its inception to the present, incorporating information about the people that the buildings honor and other prominent campus landmarks.