George J. Howe Red Barn
The George J. Howe Red Barn is available for use by students, faculty, staff, alumni, and other interested parties. It's also home to the annual Crawfish Boil, Red Barn Birthday, and Summer Concerts.
Not only is the Red Barn an iconic event space, it is also home to The Red Barn Alumni Association (RBAA).
Boasting over 500 members, RBAA officers meet regularly to plan events, awards scholarships, and identity ways they can support UofL students. Since its formation in 1988, hundreds of donors have contributed to the six RBAA inspired endowments and three gift accounts that have awarded more than 1,500 scholarships totaling over $330,000. Additionally, over $24,000 has been provided for student programs.
The following endowments and Red Barn gifts have provided a combined total of more than $400,000 in scholarships and aid to UofL students.
These include The Harold Adams Memorial Scholarship Fund, George J. Howe Leadership Endowment, Florence M. Strickler Endowment, the Dennis C. Golden Torchbearer Endowment, and the Louis W. & Louise Weisser Bornwasser Student Emergency Fund.
The facility is available for use by students, faculty, staff, alumni, and other interested parties. For more information about the facility, or to inquire about its availability to host an event, please contact the Office of Student Engagement at 852-6691.
Red Barn Alumni Association
The Seven Founding Members of the Red Barn Alumni Association include (from right to left) -- Ray Oakes, Tom Boykin, Jimmy Snyder, Ken Minogue, "Bear" Noltemeyer, Mike Ruckriegel, and Paul Noltemeyer
History of The Red Barn
The Red Barn was established in 1969 by a small group of UofL students and several UofL administrators, including President Woodrow F. Strickler. It was formerly a part of the Caldwell Tank Company and is one of the buildings on the Belknap campus on the National Register of Historic Places. From its humble beginnings, the Red Barn was renovated in 1978 and has become a multi-purpose facility serving students, faculty, staff, alumni, and friends. In 2008 the Red Barn was named for George J. Howe, the first Director of Student Activities at UofL. George retired from UofL in Fall 2020 as the Director of Red Barn Special Programs after 50 years of service.
